I take it all back

Rocky's got a new lead.

Now to most dogs in most homes this is not major news but to Rocky it is potentially life-changing. 

The Sage-On-The-Hill is probably Rocky's biggest fan and it was he who supplied the lead. It's one of those fancy-pants extendable jobbies with a spring loaded coil for easy extension and retraction.  Rocky loves it.  He gets to wander about from side to side paying as little attention to me or the Wife as possible.

The only drawback is that when he spots something in the distance which provokes uncontrollable excitement (a bike, a ball, a bird...) he takes of with such speed that the jerk which happens when he reaches the end of the lead would almost knock you off your feet but maybe that's a story for another day.

Retractable leads would be useful for other things as well.  I'm thinking about our words. On so  many occasions it would be great just to pull back into our mouths the loose talk that flows so freely out of it.  The harmful gossip, the inappropriate word of hate, the inappropriate word of love, the joke that went to far, all the things that cause hurt and damage. 

Unfortunately we don't have retractable leads for our words, once they're out - they're out.  So what's the answer?  The bible describes a misplaced word as a spark that can start a forest fire (James 3). It also says that what comes out of our mouths starts off in the heart.  It's not our tongues which are hate-filled or cutting, or judgemental or gossips - it's our hearts.

Keep your words on a short leash by ensuring your heart is free from malice and full of wisdom.

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.

James 3:9-10

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

James 1:5-6

Totally awesome

Sometimes little kids can be the greatest teachers.

This week Anchor Boys was a lot of fun.  As usual there was a mix of stories, games, singing and healthy treats.With all the buzz it was getting pretty warm and so one of my wee buddies came to me and asked:

'I'm getting pretty hot, can I take my jumper off?'

'Of course' I replied.

'Thanks. Do you want to see my t-shirt? It's totally awesome.'

He wasn't lying, his t-shirt had a monster truck on it covering the entire front, that is totally awesome in my book.

It's so refreshing to see someone with such innocent excitement, someone who can look at something as simple as a t-shirt and see the awesomeness of it all.  We should all search for the awesome in everything (here's a website that will help) we should practice awesome seeking, it should be like orienteering only much much more... well, awesome.

We will find the awesome when we look for it because all things have been made by God who is the author of all things awesome.  The way he has designed this world and designed the creatures of the world can only lead us to praise and worship the God of heaven.  Look at your children, the food on your table, the flowers, your thumb, foreign languages, cornflakes, cars, aeroplanes... look at everything, see the awesome and praise the Lord!

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
Psalm 139:14

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Training Trevor

Fish are lazy.

It has become clear to me that fish have developed a great strategy to get away with their slothfulness for years now.  There have somehow tricked the humans into thinking they have only a memory of two seconds.  Let me tell you conclusively, here and now, that that is in fact a lie!

 According to marine scientists, fish can remember for up to three months! Despite this they still just swim aimlessly around their little tanks happy to let us think they are doing it all for our relaxation.

Fish can, with positive reinforcement techniques, be trained to do all sorts of fun things as this video shows.  They can score goals, do the slalom and even limbo - genius.

I'm considering putting Trevor through his paces; I reckon he'd make a great gymnast.

If fish can be trained and improved then so can we.  In fact we are commanded to improve.  God provides both the training and the skills but we have got to participate, to follow His leading and guidance.

The problem is that many Christians are happy to swim about in the tank letting on they're daft or unable or unaware of their need to change.  It's time to renew your mindset and starting training in the ways of righteousness, to start changing into someone more like Jesus.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Romans 12:2

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Collateral damage

Here's a wee clip courtesy of the BBC.  Sound is not essential, fullsceen it for maximum effect!

When we fight the hatred hurts more people than just the object of our wrath.  How many families have been destroyed by needless feuds feulled by pig-headedness.  It's such a terrible shame and it is completely unnecessary.

The bible says:

Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbour, for we are all members of one body. “In your anger do not sin” Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.

Ephesians 4:25-27

It also says:

“Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” 

  Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

Matthew 18:21-22

So that brother or parent or friend or neighbour or person from church or work colleague that you 'hate'... go and forgive them, resolve the issue and live free again.  The people around you who you are hurting as a result of your pride deserve better.

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Psalm 117 done a bit differently by the Sons of Korah.

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Housing crisis

It's a topsy-turvy world.

I transported a game of Monopoly in the boot of my car yesterday.  It was not a huge job I admit but I still had problems with it.

The game, or the car, jiggled on the journey and so did the contents of the game. So much so in fact that when I opened the boot to get it out I was confronted with display of miniature carnage.

There where houses and hotels everywhere, strewn about like they had suffered the worst tornado Kansas had seen but with Oz nowhere in sight.  There were chance cards everywhere, top hats tossed about, even a dog clinging on the the side of the board like it was holding on to it's very existence.  It was all very distressing.

It all looked ridiculous and yet somehow very real indeed.  The houses that are real, that we live in, are really no more reliable than Monopoly houses, they cannot be trusted to hold our money or protect our future, the phrase 'safe as houses' no longer applies.  Repossesion rates have gone through the roof, homes are getting 'broken' all the time and sadly as in the case for New Zealand today, even the physical protection of a house cannot be relied on.

So if we can't trust property for our security and if even our families can be destroyed, if all money is Monopoly money and chance cannot be trusted, who do we cling to in the days of trouble?  There is only one who is the beginning and the end, only one who can claim stedfastness and control.  Turn to God, hold tightly to Him in the good times and bad and he will not release His grip on you.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Hebrews 13:8

Under pressure

There's nothing quite like the feeling of sweet relief from sustained pressure.

Whether it's hearing the final whistle after your team has held on to a 1-0 lead with only ten men for half the game, or that moment when you realise that you are not going to be late for that job interview after-all, or getting the electricity bill and knowing it is just low enough to be able to pay it this month, or finally reaching the toilet after a three hour car journey over potholed roads; no matter what the situation, when relief comes it is very very sweet.

'sore thumb' - Geddit?

The Sage-on-the-Hill was acting in a most unsage-like manner at the weekend when he accidentally closed the car door on his thumb, ouch.  After some time he realised that it was probably going to need hospital attention.  The throbbing had become unbearable, the pressure was building inside the damaged digit.

There was only one thing that could be done, the offending appendage had to be punctured, the pressure had to be relieved - instantly the pain subsided, sweet relief.

At Rathcoole Presbyterian Church the Rev also had pressure on his mind.  He was talking about the pressure that Jesus was under from all sides.  The Pharisees out to trap him, the hordes wanting healed, the need to teach, the constant demand for miracles, demons screaming His name at Him (Mark 3); all these things brought tremendous pressure on the Saviour.  So how did he overcome them?  He got alone with God, He got quiet with God and he got close to God.

When we feel so put upon that we could explode it is often because we feel that things are out of control.  The reality is that everything is out of our control, but it is not out of God's control.  We need to release the pressure to God, move it from our shoulders to His.  Talk to Him in the quiet places and let Him reassure us of His control in all situations.

Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.

Luke 6:12

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Queen - Under Pressure

Sleeping's for wimps

There are a number of things that can stop a 'leader' getting enough sleep on a youth weekend.

The sound of teenagers playing midnight baseball, excessive and violent snoring, late night chats with the person in the bottom bunk, the person in the room next door having late night chats with the person in the bottom bunk and alarming alarms can all prevent restful nights.  However last weekend I  encountered an additional unexpected problem.

I have one of those sleeping bags with a hood.  It is great, very 'snugly' as the wife would say but it is bloomin' hard to get into.  I struggle with the whole simultaneous wriggle, hop and zip of a normal sleeping bag but the hood adds a whole new dimension.

My problem was that no matter how hard I tried I could never seem to get in the right way round first time.  When I put the hood up for extra comfort it ended up covering my face.  Comfy, but deadly.  The great thing I had would end up killing me.  The wriggling continued until sleep was almost more hassle than it was worth.

It is important to have comfort in life.  By that I meant true comfort in the middle of the people of God.  A place where we can have shelter from all the stress and strains, temptations and trials of life on earth.  It is God-given comfort.  However the goal is not to live in church, to always constantly be surrounded with like-minded safe people but instead to be restored, encouraged and strengthened so that we can go out into the world and glorify Jesus.

Instead at times we linger in church surrounded by the comfortable people and the comfortable things.  When we do this we are in grave danger of suffocating our witness.  That is something worth losing sleep over.

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Matthew 28:18-20

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