"Pray for Phil" is the headline of the morning paper because a beloved cricketer has been injured and the double page spread has it as the banner across the top. At other times we have been exhorted to 'pray for our boys' when they are fighting fires or in some other emergencies.
It makes me wonder what this means. Do they expect people for whom prayer is not a part of life to suddenly discover its power and sense of connection? How is it than in our increasingly secular society prayer is seen as needed in a time of crisis?
Yesterday it was announced that a well known football personality is battling with a health issue. It was not suggested we pray for him. Why not? Can we only pray for one person at a time or is it because his situation isn't seen as so dire. Another footballer commenting said that he'd relied on the strength of the club when facing heath problems 'because there was no better place to go for help'. Camaraderie is wonderful in such places, I'm sure.
So what about prayer? A last resort, a reaching out for something more beyond ourselves or just a way to express the seriousness of a situation that is so bad only prayer (or good luck?) will help.
Comments alongside the article feature 'thoughts and prayers' as though they are the same thing, and one mention of fingers crossed. So in this context the urge to pray is more about good wishes and intentions and hopefulness.
For me prayer is a deep connecting with the Divine One who walks with me day by day, the Companion of life's journey, such that prayer is as natural as breathing and sustains me daily. It's so much more than crying out in desperation, but maybe that headline will be the start of something wonderful for those who heed its call.
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Trinity
"God and Jesus." A couple of people recently have used this expression - and not as an expletive. Another one on Facebook today made it a trinity and so I decided to have a serious think about this. My immediate reaction is that is implies that Jesus is not God. I notice that people often talk about Jesus to children perhaps because the stories of his life on earth as recorded in the Gospels are tangible whereas the concept of God may be more abstract. I wonder if this is where the dichotomy begins.
The early church fathers (and mothers) struggled with the person of Jesus and his divinity/humanity and so do we. But if we believe Jesus is the divine in human form, then to talk of Jesus AND God is a nonsense. Jesus IS God.
Then, of course, there is the question of trinity. The plot thickens. To talk of "God and Jesus" ignores the Spirit of God, imaged in so many ways as brooding bird, fire and wind, companion on the journey....
The traditional way of speaking of the Holy Trinity is as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, but there are many others eg Creator, Lifegiver, Sustainer. Whichever way is used each of the three is God ie God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit.
I am no theologian (that may be obvious) but the way we use words shapes our thinking and so wise choices are important.
The early church fathers (and mothers) struggled with the person of Jesus and his divinity/humanity and so do we. But if we believe Jesus is the divine in human form, then to talk of Jesus AND God is a nonsense. Jesus IS God.
Then, of course, there is the question of trinity. The plot thickens. To talk of "God and Jesus" ignores the Spirit of God, imaged in so many ways as brooding bird, fire and wind, companion on the journey....
The traditional way of speaking of the Holy Trinity is as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, but there are many others eg Creator, Lifegiver, Sustainer. Whichever way is used each of the three is God ie God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit.
I am no theologian (that may be obvious) but the way we use words shapes our thinking and so wise choices are important.
Friday, October 17, 2014
Saving water
Such a good idea. Save water by not washing towels every day. So the sign at the Hilton in Darwin seriously told us about this and invited us to hang our towels up if we were happy to use them again and not have them go out to wash. The first day I hung them up. They were removed and fresh ones hung up.
The second day I saw the housekeeping person as I left the room and gently reminded her that I didn't need my towels replaced. When I returned...... yep, towels removed and replaced with fresh ones.
Mind you, on arrival, when I was hot and flustered there was not one cool beverage in the fridge - no water, no jug, no iceblock tray. And that night when room service arrived with meals for us both there was but one glass of water supplied. Ah, so that's how they save on water.
The second day I saw the housekeeping person as I left the room and gently reminded her that I didn't need my towels replaced. When I returned...... yep, towels removed and replaced with fresh ones.
Mind you, on arrival, when I was hot and flustered there was not one cool beverage in the fridge - no water, no jug, no iceblock tray. And that night when room service arrived with meals for us both there was but one glass of water supplied. Ah, so that's how they save on water.
Friday, September 26, 2014
It's not that hard....
What is it about Aussies and getting people's names right? Are we lazy or what? Is it really that hard to get our tongues around the names of those from other cultures? We say we can't do it and OK some are tough but so are Knauerhase and Featherstonhaugh, which are names of people I taught years ago. and seem to have been assimilated.
We had an exchange student from Thailand whose name was Sirilak "But you can call me Anne," she said. Why? When she told me how to say it, it wasn't that hard.
People also complain that with some of those 'foreign' names they can't tell if when written if they are male or female. I had that problem recently at an event for which I had created names tags.There were names where I wasn't sure either whether they were male or female (names like Chris and Alex.)
One of the name tags at that event was for Rahmah. She was the last to arrive and I greeted her - a small woman wearing a head scarf. "Hi Rahmah," I said (rhyming it with 'calmer'). She pinned on her badge and sat down. Later when participants introduced themselves I noted the way she said her name and over morning tea I moved to check it out with her. It was nearly as it looked but the syllables were separated with a short stop, more like Ru Mu (the 'u' as in 'up'.) I repeated it a few times after her and she shyly told me I was the first person who had ever tried to get her name right. Seriously?
Surely we can do better. Care enough to try, listen carefully and ask to hear it again. Just do it. It's not that hard.
We had an exchange student from Thailand whose name was Sirilak "But you can call me Anne," she said. Why? When she told me how to say it, it wasn't that hard.
People also complain that with some of those 'foreign' names they can't tell if when written if they are male or female. I had that problem recently at an event for which I had created names tags.There were names where I wasn't sure either whether they were male or female (names like Chris and Alex.)
One of the name tags at that event was for Rahmah. She was the last to arrive and I greeted her - a small woman wearing a head scarf. "Hi Rahmah," I said (rhyming it with 'calmer'). She pinned on her badge and sat down. Later when participants introduced themselves I noted the way she said her name and over morning tea I moved to check it out with her. It was nearly as it looked but the syllables were separated with a short stop, more like Ru Mu (the 'u' as in 'up'.) I repeated it a few times after her and she shyly told me I was the first person who had ever tried to get her name right. Seriously?
Surely we can do better. Care enough to try, listen carefully and ask to hear it again. Just do it. It's not that hard.
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
That's service for you......
So DB orders a new phone and it will be delivered. Good.We returned home Friday to a note on the door saying the delivery was attempted but no details about what next. The website of the company wasn't any help - the nearest company depot being two hours away. The toll free number eventually got through to someone (in Manila?) who assured us the delivery would be on Monday morning. By 2pm that day I wondered about the definition of morning and by Tuesday i wondered about the definition of Monday. So a request was logged on the website. Nada, nothing, zip.....
W were walking down the street to a friend's house and I spotted a TOLL (yes, that's the company) van. "Quick," I said,"He might have it." Turns out he was the pick up van but happily gave us the mobile number of the local delivery guy. A call to him and yes, he knew about the phone but had no order for delivering again. he said he'd driven past but didn't see a car so thought we weren't home. Der.....I did wonder what he would do if he never got any further instructions. Drive around with the parcel for ever?
So today is Wednesday. Maybe he'll drop by...........
W were walking down the street to a friend's house and I spotted a TOLL (yes, that's the company) van. "Quick," I said,"He might have it." Turns out he was the pick up van but happily gave us the mobile number of the local delivery guy. A call to him and yes, he knew about the phone but had no order for delivering again. he said he'd driven past but didn't see a car so thought we weren't home. Der.....I did wonder what he would do if he never got any further instructions. Drive around with the parcel for ever?
So today is Wednesday. Maybe he'll drop by...........
Monday, August 11, 2014
I went walking by the lake today. Patchy sun and stormy clouds. Not a pelican in sight and only a few seagulls. Then I spotted it - a little (black?) duck all on its own. Where were the others? What about its mother? It was so small it wouldn't even have showed up on my little phone camera. And then it disappeared under the water. Oh no! Drowned, gone. Sniff!
It was minutes later that it bobbed up again. I watched this repeated several times. No pelican to remind me of the presence of the Divine. Just a little duck paddling and bobbing up and down. It's the sort of day where I feel a bit like I'm paddling all alone and in danger of sinking and never coming up again. Reckon we all have days like that. But the little duck wasn't swamped or overwhelmed. Just kept on keeping on. And then the sun shone.
It was minutes later that it bobbed up again. I watched this repeated several times. No pelican to remind me of the presence of the Divine. Just a little duck paddling and bobbing up and down. It's the sort of day where I feel a bit like I'm paddling all alone and in danger of sinking and never coming up again. Reckon we all have days like that. But the little duck wasn't swamped or overwhelmed. Just kept on keeping on. And then the sun shone.
Friday, August 1, 2014
Hunting and gathering
Is it part of a primeval urge or a product of being brought up by parents who experienced the Depression? Whenever we are in town I head off to the nearby shopping centre to see what I can find. Is there a bargain to be had, a special price on something or just products that don't appear in my small country supermarket.
For yes, it's the supermarket I head for, not the other shops on offer.
And today I was rewarded. After coffee (free, thanks to a coupon in my letter box) I wandered the supermarket aisles (that counts as exercise doesn't it?). I chatted to someone about the price of lemons (70 cents each) as I thought about the large bag I had brought with me from our backyard trees.
And then there it was - a leg of ham reduced to a ridiculous price. Just what I wanted to go with the turkey for my celebratory dinner with the family. Best before next Monday. Surely we'd be able to do our best if we shared it around. (Ignoring my daughter's comment that the large pack of toilet paper is not a bargain if I give half to her. Of course it is. A bargains a bargain........)
Feeding the family, finding what's, bagging a bargain. An age old instinct and I love it.
For yes, it's the supermarket I head for, not the other shops on offer.
And today I was rewarded. After coffee (free, thanks to a coupon in my letter box) I wandered the supermarket aisles (that counts as exercise doesn't it?). I chatted to someone about the price of lemons (70 cents each) as I thought about the large bag I had brought with me from our backyard trees.
And then there it was - a leg of ham reduced to a ridiculous price. Just what I wanted to go with the turkey for my celebratory dinner with the family. Best before next Monday. Surely we'd be able to do our best if we shared it around. (Ignoring my daughter's comment that the large pack of toilet paper is not a bargain if I give half to her. Of course it is. A bargains a bargain........)
Feeding the family, finding what's, bagging a bargain. An age old instinct and I love it.
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Gratitude
What's with this gratitude for a limited time only thing? It's doing the rounds on Facebook. Three things you're grateful for listed for a few days and then suggest someone else do the same. A bit like a chain letter. Is this really something people haven't thought of before? In my youth ( a fading memory) we sang "Count your blessings, name them one by one..." and even the Saturday Advertiser quoted that, as though it's a present fad.
Surely even on the worst of days there are things to be grateful for. It's good to stop and breathe deeply for a minute and acknowledge them; to take mental snapshots (no, you don't need to whip out your phone) of wondrous moments.
I love that Heather has a regular Gratitude Friday post on Facebook. I talked to an old friend recently. She is an artistic type so has a lovely book where she has recorded for many years the things she is grateful for. Has her life been pain free? Of course not. But the record is there of the good and lovely things.
As I doze off I like to think of the good things of my day and give thanks. We all have dark days among t he sunshine. But even on the dark days may there be things to lift our spirits and delight our hearts and let's notice them. Not just for a few days but every day, starting today.
Surely even on the worst of days there are things to be grateful for. It's good to stop and breathe deeply for a minute and acknowledge them; to take mental snapshots (no, you don't need to whip out your phone) of wondrous moments.
I love that Heather has a regular Gratitude Friday post on Facebook. I talked to an old friend recently. She is an artistic type so has a lovely book where she has recorded for many years the things she is grateful for. Has her life been pain free? Of course not. But the record is there of the good and lovely things.
As I doze off I like to think of the good things of my day and give thanks. We all have dark days among t he sunshine. But even on the dark days may there be things to lift our spirits and delight our hearts and let's notice them. Not just for a few days but every day, starting today.
Friday, July 25, 2014
No weekends
This was the title of a book I thought I should write when I was a new Mum struggling with the 24 hour, 7 day a week demands of a new baby. Things just churned relentlessly onward day after day with no difference in the routine of feeds and nappies and sleepless nights.<br />
In my former life as a school teacher I had looked forward to Fridays (although not last lesson!) and the promise of weekends with sport and church and relaxation if there wasn't heaps of marking to do. Now home with a tiny baby, there was no familiar weekly rhythm. Just more of the same day after day.<br />
Later when there were three children and a demanding mix of activities to fill my weeks, Saturday was the day to sleep in. During the week I got up to our children in the night (3 or 4 or more times a night until they were 2 or 3). But on Saturdays David got up and made breakfast - green pikelets anyone) and I slept till 10am. Bliss!<br />
The circle continues to turn and now unemployed (or semi-retired) I can sleep in most any day. Somehow it doesn't have the same appeal. And we're back to 'No Weekends'.
In my former life as a school teacher I had looked forward to Fridays (although not last lesson!) and the promise of weekends with sport and church and relaxation if there wasn't heaps of marking to do. Now home with a tiny baby, there was no familiar weekly rhythm. Just more of the same day after day.<br />
Later when there were three children and a demanding mix of activities to fill my weeks, Saturday was the day to sleep in. During the week I got up to our children in the night (3 or 4 or more times a night until they were 2 or 3). But on Saturdays David got up and made breakfast - green pikelets anyone) and I slept till 10am. Bliss!<br />
The circle continues to turn and now unemployed (or semi-retired) I can sleep in most any day. Somehow it doesn't have the same appeal. And we're back to 'No Weekends'.
Friday, July 4, 2014
Shopping and Food
(Apologies: this was was written in 2010 but only published now.)
Yesterday we went to the famed Victoria Markets (forgot to put it in my 'Sunday' blog. What did I buy? Not one thing. Yes, I'm not feeling 100 percent but what's this about. Others describe shopping till they drop. But did I want/need anything? I saw some cute red shoes with a zip front and high heels but wasn't really tempted.
Not at all interested in Bridge Road etc precints. Maybe I've got to the stage where i want to get rid of stuff not add more.
BUT and this is a big but. I love looking at food. There was heaps at the markets - rows of fish and meat and small goods. Too much for me. But I love peering in all the eating place windows. Today I thought i'd like to try the braised hoof - the picture looked good! As we wandered along past China town the cariety was amazing and last night we passed the Pie Place - open 24 hours a day. And so it goes on. I love it. So what did we eat for lunch today?? Our sandwiches made before we left and an apple. Boring!!
Yesterday we went to the famed Victoria Markets (forgot to put it in my 'Sunday' blog. What did I buy? Not one thing. Yes, I'm not feeling 100 percent but what's this about. Others describe shopping till they drop. But did I want/need anything? I saw some cute red shoes with a zip front and high heels but wasn't really tempted.
Not at all interested in Bridge Road etc precints. Maybe I've got to the stage where i want to get rid of stuff not add more.
BUT and this is a big but. I love looking at food. There was heaps at the markets - rows of fish and meat and small goods. Too much for me. But I love peering in all the eating place windows. Today I thought i'd like to try the braised hoof - the picture looked good! As we wandered along past China town the cariety was amazing and last night we passed the Pie Place - open 24 hours a day. And so it goes on. I love it. So what did we eat for lunch today?? Our sandwiches made before we left and an apple. Boring!!
"Are you excited?" the well-meaning car salesman asked as we arrived to collect our new car. For heaven's sake, it's a car. It should get us places reliably. It's red. Nice. The old one is 10 years old. The new one will have depreciated the moment we drive it away. The old one is comfortable. All the scratches were mine, so no big deal about adding a few more.
"Got to treat yourself occasionally," he followed up with. Nup. A treat is nice cheese or a good book. I just don't feel cars are like that. Glad to have one that has safety features and is comfortable - and did I mention red?
"Got to treat yourself occasionally," he followed up with. Nup. A treat is nice cheese or a good book. I just don't feel cars are like that. Glad to have one that has safety features and is comfortable - and did I mention red?
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