FRIENDS

Friday Five from Songbird at RevGalBlogPals is a good stimulus to 'at-least-weekly' blogging. She writes:

If you're ever in a jam, here I am.
If you're ever in a mess, S.O.S.
If you're so happy, you land in jail. I'm your bail.
It's friendship, friendship, just a perfect blendship.
When other friendships are soon forgot, ours will still be hot.


I'm thinking a lot about friends these days, the ones who rush to you in times of trouble, with a casserole or a socket wrench or an invitation for coffee or lunch or a trip to the foot sanctuary. We meet friends in school or on the playground or at church or in the workplace and even on the Internet. Even as blogging has experienced some decline, the community here has been strong.

For today's Friday Five, some questions about friendship.

1) Who is the first friend you remember from childhood?
My first 'best friend' was Pamela. She lived up the road and our mothers often arranged for us to play together. Like me she was the oldest in a family. Her farm provided lots of opportunities to roam and explore.
2) Have you ever received an unexpected gift from a friend?
The most recent surprise was from a student group (not exactly friends I know but the surprise part is true) who gave me a most beautiful orchid when I had taught them for only a few weeks.
3) Is there an old friend you wish you could find again? Or have you found one via social media or the Internet?
Just this week I was thinking of my Girls Brigade Captain, who was one of those people who influenced me in choosing a medical career. Browsing through someone else's friend list on facebook I found her and made contact. She and husband have just retired from Christian ministry. Facebook has led to a lot of renewed friendships for me, and also wider family connections.
4) Do you like to get your good friends together in a group, or do you prefer your friends one on one?
Both. Generally a one-on-one gal. But love an occasional girls-night-in or group movie outing.
5) Does the idea of Jesus as a friend resonate with you?
Rankles more than it resonates. Jingly stuff really turns me off. And superficial intimacy with the divine seems blasphemous. Yet at a deep level the idea does also resonate. I have seen that deep abiding friendship lived out by countless saints in my immediate and extended family and in religious community. The recent death of a family friend brought to mind the old hymn: 'O love that wilt not let me go, I rest my weary soul in thee' That kind of friendship resonates.

BONUS song (which funnily enough does resonate -maybe irrationally or maybe because in its own quirky way this song does encompass both the 'otherness' of the divine, AND the personal grace)

It's been a month ....

and what a month it's been.

• Accreditation visit for our school (outcome not available but assumed OK as they would presumably tell us to make other arrangements for the students if they were closing us down)
  
• Selection process for 2011 entry completed. Less angst than last year. More philosophical/ fatalistic. We won't have got it 100% right. Some great applicants will have missed out. Possibly some unsuitable ones will have slipped in. But from the 1116 applicants we have selected a class of 112. Many of whom are outstanding in many respects.
• HSC commenced. Youngest member of the family has embarked on this right of passage unique to the Australian education system. Advanced English seemed okay but outcome unpredictable.
• Personal reflection. Now that's where there is a bit of a block. Seem to have got too busy to do the most important. As evidenced in part by lack of blog entries. And erratic participation in worship. And minimal intentional exercise (even cutting back on the incidental everyday exercise)
• So that's where I'm at. Looking to engage more and reflect deliberately.
  

Friday Five: Baby Showers!

Jan has posted a Friday Five wonderfully early this week. As you'll see it's a bit beyond my experience and fun all the same.

Friends are giving my daughter-in-law AA a baby shower, which happily brought her and DC down for a visit to Corpus Christi. looking forward to having my first grandchild in two months and all these preparations, like baby showers, are getting me excited! So I hope you'll participate in telling about your likes and dislikes about baby showers for you and for others.

1. What were baby showers like for you and your friends in the past?
Hardly a part of my experience (not really sure why) I think I have only been to one which is a great memory

2. Did you play games? What kinds?
There was a "guess the sex and birth date of the baby" game. A collection of 'handy hints' for the mum-to-be. That's about all I remember.

3. In your job, especially if you are a pastor, do you get invited to a lot of baby showers? What do you do about them?
No

4. Are baby showers different for our daughters (or younger friends) than they were for us?
No idea

5. Do you like hosting baby showers or do you avoid that responsibility?
Never have, although not averse to the idea

Bonus: Any silliness about baby showers you wish to contribute.
At the one-and-only event I attended there was an awkward moment when one friend made a comment about having to watch out for the mother-in-law. Only to find that the lovely woman she was sitting beside was said mil. Who thankfully laughed as much as anyone.

Lovin' Sydney

Kathrynzj (whose name always reminds me of my homeland) posted the Friday Five at RevGalBlogPals this week. She posted from the beach which for her is more than a vacation destination, it is a trip home... she asks us to please name five things we like about where we are living now... and as a bonus - one thing we don't like.

So for the wonderful city of Sydney I like:

1. The weather. Even this rather wet winter week is warm and temperatures are never or at least seldom (actually) freezing.
2. The people. I am so privileged to have met some fantastic people in this place.
3. The Parramatta river. A special treat is walking to Meadowbank and catching the river cat to the city. But just a few metres from our front door I can walk along the banks of this beautiful landmark.
4. The environs. Within a day the Botanic Garden, or Manly dam, or Lane Cove National Park, or Blue Mountains, or Royal National Park, can be explored (and more). Closer to home Bicentennial Park and Olympic Park provide walking and cycle tracks for short excursions.
   
5. The history. Black. Convict. Colonial. A rich and textured mix of conflicting values and actions with varied motives. Many captured in monuments and statues, plaques and information boards that illuminate my understanding of this place.

I don't like the electoral system and I really miss beign able to vote

RevGalBlogPals: Sunday Prayer 11C

Another borrowed post in my days of infrequent blogging. A Northern Hemisphere prayer for this time of the calendar year with every time and place wisdom
RevGalBlogPals: Sunday Prayer 11C

Friday Five: Decisions, Decisions

Time for the Friday Five again. This week Songbird has posted a seemingly simple meme that provokes a bit of thought. She writes:

Since I've been in the midst of a discernment process, I've done a lot of reflecting on how we make decisions. But don't worry, I'm not going to ask you to reveal a dark story about a poor decision, or a self-flagellating story about an embarrassing one. Let's keep it simple and go with five word pairs. Tell us which word in the pair appeals to you most, and after you've done all five, give us the reason why for one of them.

Here they are:

1) Cake or Pie
2) Train or Airplane
3) Mac or PC
4) Univocal or Equivocal
5) Peter or Paul

I bake cakes more than pies, but enjoy few things more than a delicious pie; train is a daily journey with smaller carbon footprint - I also enjoy long distance train especially in NZ; use a PC but really miss the Mac from a previous workplace; I had never even heard of the word univocal so I'm clearly equivocal; and the final decision required a bit more thought.

In a nostalgic Rove-like moment I initially thought "What the!" And then began reflecting. The story of Peter and Cornelius is one of my all time favourites. The way I remember it, Peter was a compliant, careful, rule-abiding person who was confronted by a dream that urged him to break the rules. And to realise that his allegiance was to the law-giver and not the law itself. Which opened his eyes to new experiences and to appreciate that people different from himself could be equally followers of the Way, of the Christ who claimed Peter's love and allegiance. Paul was also a faithful follower who had an experience of a new relationship with the risen Christ. Somewhat more aggressive in his pursuit of righteousness, he saw rooting out opposition with fatal combat as the way to demostrate his devotion to truth. I am way more a compliant, seeking-to-please, reared in a faith with an emphasis on personal piety and a later awakening to the 'social gospel' and issues of justice and equity. Peter I think. Rather than Paul.

Try not to pull on the big cat's tail when you answer. :-)

Red Wine and Garlic: Poem a day: July 9 On Continuing to Live

Red Wine and Garlic: Poem a day: July 9 On Continuing to Live

unwhinge and imagine

This has been quite a week for institutional churches with the conclusion of the first ever meeting of the newly-formed World Communion of Reformed Churches, the election of Rev'd Dr Kirsty Thorpe and Mrs Val Morrison as Moderators of the URC in the UK and new leaders of the Methodists as well. Over at RevGalBlogPals Sally has set an inspiring Friday Five based on the inaugural address of the new Methodist Vice-President. Sally writes:

This has been a good week for British Methodism, The Annual Conference has discussed and debated many things and not shied away from some difficult stuff. New Ministers have been Ordained and received into Full Connexion. Add to that the fact that two amazing ladies; Alison Tomlin and Eunice Attwood have taken up their posts as President and Vice-President for 2010/2011- and that they have both inspired us in their speeches and preaching , and you begin to get the picture.

In the Vice- Presidents Address Eunice gave an inspiring account of the type of church she wants to be a part of, almost poetic she said:

I want to be part of a church that is prayer-filled -
A church that is resourced and sustained by the Bible,
A church that can offer hope even in a credit crunch,
A church that can live well with difference and diversity.

I want to be part of a church that welcomes the wealthy, those who have power and influence -
A church that knows how to party and celebrate life,
A church that acknowledges death and speaks boldly of resurrection,
A church that doesn’t pretend to have all the answers but encourages all the questions.

I want to be part of a church that throws parties for prostitutes -
A church that welcomes those who seek asylum,
A church that longs and yearns for justice,
A church that listens to those no-one else wants to listen to.

I want to be part of a church that believes in transformation not preservation -
A church where all who are lost can be found,
A church where people can discover friendship,
A church where every person takes responsibility in sharing the good news.

I want to be part of a church whose hope is placed securely and confidently in the transforming love of God -
A church that engages faith in its communities,
A church that makes and nurtures disciples of Jesus.

A church where the story of God’s love is at the centre.
I want to be part of a church that offers outrageous grace, reckless generosity, transforming love and engaging faith.
This is God’s story Transforming Love: Engaging Faith.

My prayer is that by the power of the Spirit of God at work amongst us, it will increasingly be our story.

I want to be part of that church too, and at the danger of trying to add to such a wonderful litany of dreams/ visions and prayers I wonder which five things would you echo from or add to this. What kind of church do you want to be a part of in the 21st Century?

Simply list the five, and as an added bonus is there a hymn of a Bible passage that you would make your inspiration?

1. I want to be part of a church where the daily newspaper and the Bible are brought together
   
2. I want to be part of a church in which children are welcomed as full and contributing members
3. I want to be part of a church with living international relationships
   
4. I want to be part of a church where first peoples are acknowledged and respected
5. I want to be part of a church that "welcomes those who seek asylum...a church that longs and yearns for justice

Bonus: The Lord has yet more life and truth to break forth from the Word

never satisfied

In the busyness of everyday I find myself composing mental blog notes that never progress to keyboard or screen. So why is my mind so blank as sit in front of the computer this cool winter evening? Seeking to develop reflective practitioners, I need to exercise those capacities within myself. So of what am I thinking?

One recurrent thought echoes Mick Jagger: I can't get no satisfaction.

It troubles me that I feel so negative attending worship week after week. There seems no depth in the music. The theology is often appalling (to me). Or lacking. In an unguarded moment I once said to the President of our denomination that a thing I find difficult is so often having to switch my brain off as I walk through the doors of the church building. Which was unfair. But heartfelt. There seems an unholy intimacy in the "Jesus and me/ I am a friend of God/ Happy Clappy" atmosphere that distresses me, but that others find life-enhancing.

Yet at the funeral last week, which was an excellent acknowledgment of a life lived well, I did note the absence of any prayers directed to God and the palpable sense of carefully keeping everything rational. "She lives on in our memory of her" is totally true, and yet I yearned to hear the word 'resurrection'. There was an arm-length-ness about the conduct of worship that also did not satisfy.

One of our children said to me the other day "You really miss Cafe@Church don't you Mum?" This was a monthly event in a past hometown which did seem to find a third way that was neither self-consciously 'liberal' nor 'sentimentally evangelical'. This memory is partly why I was so energised by Sally's no hymns plan for this past Sunday. I do miss the creativity that was somehow more readily nurtured in a tiny island country than in a vast island continent.

Jane reflected a few days ago on interesting challenges facing the newly formed World Communion of Reformed Churches which "will have to work hard to try to hold together confessional and faith concerns with the deep desire for social justice. Many of the churches in the Global South do this naturally - it's part of being a Christian, as is praying and bearing witness. Somehow in parts of Global North some churches seem to have decided to say that they are either liberal or traditional and assume that those on the other side either don't pray or read the Bible or don't serve the world or speak out prophetically on social issues. Perhaps one day we will understand that the body of Christ is bigger, more diverse, more open and more challenging than any of us have dared to believe. A place of security from which we can find the courage to overcome the temptations of safety."

A couple of weeks ago we ran a session on leadership for first year students. In which we acknowledged leaders as people who ask "What can I do to change things" rather than whinging about what they do not like. At the recent Queensland Synod meeting the President's second Bible Study focused on Jesus' sayings that we often call the beatitudes (and demonstrated that careful theological scholarship is alive and well in our denomination). I was especially struck by his interpretation of 'meekness' which was, from memory, about not needing to puff oneself up but instead to have the internal strength to do what is right regardless of the reaction of others. Way back (I just discovered it was in March! I have thought about it and talked about it a lot since) Jane posted about the French translation of 'blessed' which is en marche with "the meaning of get up, get going, let's go. If someone is "en marche" they would be setting out on a path, walking ... if something is en marche, it is switched on, working, going." For this whinger then there is a challenge: demonstrate the blessedness of internal integrity. And change that theme song:

How can we get satisfaction?

Haere haere haere kuia ma ...

My first experience of Tiger Air today, flying to and from Melbourne to pay respects and bid a final farewell to 'Aunt Jean'. My husband's only remaining aunt, she has become increasingly frail over recent months and died on Sunday after 97 very full years of life. As he is in Grand Rapids, I really wanted to represent the 'wider family'. And so pleased I went, as I was the only relative apart from the immediate family. Even if I am a relative-in-law. So for the first time, and as the first in my own immediate family, I have met my cousin-in-law and his wife, children and grandchildren. Strangely and yet too frequently it is a death that facilitates this happening. Now that I can no longer exchange seasonal greetings with 'Jean', I look to make new contacts and ensure that future generations know the heritage they share.

It makes me think of the important role of networker or family connector that is present in several branches of my family.

• When my grandfather left England to settle in NZ in the first part of the 20th century, his cousin Olive made sure that successive generations knew of the antipodean family
  
• My grandmother and father were wonderful recounters of family lore that has enriched my understanding of identity
• My mother has handed down 'heirlooms' with details of the history of each. Today I wear a brooch that first belonged to my great-grandmother. And in the china cabinet is the vase given to my grandmother by my grandfather on their first anniversary

The Friday Five this week is about forgetfulness and lateness. In my present state of contented connectedness it is easier to reflect on timeliness. A time for every purpose under heaven .... I respect the way in which many traditional cultures are able to attend to the need of the moment. Meetings get cancelled if there is a death in the community. People arrive neither punctually nor late, but when all that is needed has been done.

This has been a very timely day. The right time to open up new relationships. The right time to try a new airline and enjoy discount fares. A very measured pace (partly due to the early hour of the cheap fare). A call from work about a serious student matter came just as the afternoon tea was finishing. And returning home at just the right time to collect youngest household member from music practice. Taps seems very appropriate:

Day is done, gone the sun
From the lakes, from the hills, from the skies
All is well, safely rest;
God is nigh.

And to Aunt Jean - Haere ra kuia ma, haere ki toku kainga tapu, ake ake ake, amine
Go beloved child of Alice and Matthew, go repected matriarch of our generations, go to your true home forever, Amen.

It hurts

Why am I surprised to find that it hurts to put a hand in the fire? I have found a new/additional bottom line. When a colleague is treated unjustly. Threatened with disciplinary action for speaking out about quality and safety concerns. And 'meek and mild' M challenged the attack on integrity. Hurt for a couple of days. Found little had changed. Left feeling a bit winded.

I remember reading a poem once along the lines of 'Why do I feel so bad when I know I have acted rightly?' It's interesting, I think, that in movies and fiction the 'hero/ine' is often squeaky clean and their goodness shines forth in a blaze of righteous confidence. Not often is the 'goodie' perplexed and dismayed and uncertain of how to respond.

But hand in the fire, kia kaha, there is no other way to be

Hand in the fire

Brilliant and challenging Friday Five from Mary Beth this week. Excellent for a rather mild-mannered introvert with a strong need to please. Mary Beth writes:

--Robert Mapplethorpe, Hand in Fire, 1985

There is a German expression: ich würde die Hand dafür ins Feuer legen, which means: “I would put my hand in the fire for that.”

I learned it many years ago, while reading the Best Reference Letter Ever: written by a very distinguished linguistics professor for a student who went on to win a prestigious international scholarship. This student, he said, was destined for greatness; and he submitted his judgment with the certainty of the expression above.

I’ve always held the concept as a very important indicator in my mind. “Would I put my hand in the fire for that?” I sometimes think, and it helps me to make a decision or see a situation more clearly. It’s similar to “is this the battlefield I want to die on?”

These days (certainly as every day) there seems to be so much difficulty, wrong, pain, injustice, and mismanagement in our world, and I need a little revitalization. Often when I feel this way, I’ll write a list of things for which I’m grateful, but that’s certainly been done, and I need a bit of a stronger draught.

So, what are five things for which would you put your hand in the fire? Things / people / causes in which you believe passionately and completely? This might be demonstrated in that you would take extraordinary (for you) action…donations, marching, writing letters…or merely in the way you live your life. You may give as much or as little detail as you wish.

And I respond:

Not so long ago I tentatively questioned a proposal at a meeting (by saying something like "I think we need to consider whether or not this is the best option ...) and the table erupted in laughter when our convenor said "You don't usually jump up and down in such an argumentative manner Mavis." I guess the upside to that is that I can get taken seriously simply by pointing to the fire, because there is a sense that when I raise concerns I am very serious about it. The downside of course is that those not so astute think I'm "happy with the direction" when I'm burning up to the elbows. So when have I taken action/ put my hand in the fire/ been explicit about the bottom line on an issue:

1. When the integrity of a person who has earned my respect is questioned, especially publicly. A very recent incident involved questioning of the integrity and spirituality of a close colleague, one whom I admired for commitment to the values of our organisation. I was privileged and honoured to sign a letter from other staff upholding a colleague.
2. When the physical integrity of individuals is compromised. A (SADLY) recurrent theme in medical education is the conduct by students of intimate examinations on anaesthetised patients. As a student I co-led the campaign of our year for an explicit consent process. Thirty years later I find the same issue exists. At least South Australia has a definitive guideline on the issue (discovered today - thanks MB)
3. Spelling and grammar. Although far from perfect myself, I do get irritated by errors especially in formal documents. The abstract linked to above said patients were often "quiet willing" and one of the journal club article for our students talks of lung cancer being a "principle cause" of cancer mortality. Australia-wide the usage of the verb to be seems to have replaced the abbreviation you're with your as in "your welcome." Maybe not quite 'hand in the fire' stuff, but certainly an issue I take seriously in assessment and critical appraisal. And in choosing where to shop.
4. Carbon footprint. I simply refuse to buy imported fresh produce. Especially if shipped from half a world away. Kiwifruit from FRANCE! Or lemons from France for that matter. I pay the extra for Aussie Barramundi. So far resisted the urge to buy a car - and if I do the back pocket/ cheque book will have to bear the pain of the additional cost of a hybrid.
5. And back to the real serious stuff. Rights of children and young people. Our work in New Zealand to remove statutory protection for children from assault by parents under the guise of "correction" certainly caused significant 'fire' and in the end won bipartisan parliamentary support. I supported a family who withdrew participation from their local congregation because of the refusal of the leadership to even try to understand the child rights issues associated with far-right Christian Education curriculum (including teaching like "always do what adults tell you".) And including the UN Convention on children's rights in the medical curriculum. All of these matters surprisingly contentious. And worthy of hand-burning.
   

customer service - not!

Arriving at the Sunshine Coast airport I approached the 'tourist information' desk. "Hello. I'm visiting for the weekend. Is there anything you recommend?"
"Not really. All the brochures here are for events in June or July"
"We're staying at Alexandra Headland. What are the points of interest near there?"
"Oh nothing really. They have 'Underwater World' (I begin to think to myself that sounds interesting) but really they have that sort of thing in every city nowadays so there's probably nothing special about this one. Down by the wharf there are soem seafood restaurants but only if you're into that sort of thing if you like seafood I gues it could be alright. Only here for two days. That's not very long. Most people come for longer than that" (Think to self - long enough given that there's nothing to do here).

This interaction stood out because of the generally extremely helpful people at Aussie tourist information desks, full of local knowledge and suggestions for an hour/day/week in their community. It got me thinking about first points of contact. With medical school enrolment for 2011 approaching, the images of the different universities is apparrent in the chat rooms and internet fora frequented by hopeful applicants. I am aware that I feel more engaged with a church congregation I attend maybe four times a year and from whom I receive a weekly email (which is informative and engaging) than with my 'local' where the key communication strategy seems to be ' word of mouth' and even a week or two away can be very isolating. When people ask how I am - responses of 'very busy' or 'pushed to the limit' serve to shut down coimmunication rather like the tourist desk attendant.

So what did we do with two days on the Sunshine Coast? Between attendances at the Uniting Church in Australia Queensland Synod meeting I walked along what must arguably be one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, swam in ocean at the end of autumn, drove inland and visited amazingly quaint towns, enjoyed a superb wedge of lemon meringue pie, stocked up on handmade soap and dukkah at local markets, looked out to an endless horizon while consuming a (supoer fresh) fishburger for lunch and fitted in dinner for two at the surf club before flying home.

At a personal level I wonder how often my interactions with people leave them feeling like I did as I left the airport. I can be very negative, and thsi is a problem particularly if it limits the blessings others receive. Like critical appraisal of a sermon or worship has limited usefulness especially if it is poorly directed (to all and sundry rather than to the key operational personnel). Even if I am not personally excited, Ican encourage independent exploration and if all alse fails, at least be ready to offer generic information with a smile.

Packing

Friday Five this week from Songbird (5 a.m. RevGals time) and has a focus on vacation packing. Songbird writes:

I'm preparing to pack my bags for the Big Event Three, and as I gather what I need I'm thinking about just that: what do I *need* to take with me? As a person who likes to pack light, I worry that in the end I may underpack and wish I had other things with me. I own the gigantor version of the bag to the right, but my morbid fear of having it go astray and not get to the ship means I'm more likely to try to pack it all in a carry-on bag instead, especially since I have a very tight connection on the way to the cruise. But won't I be sorry if I don't bring _______________?

With that in mind, here are five questions about packing to go on a trip.

1) Some fold, some roll and some simply fling into the bag. What's your technique for packing clothes?
Usually fold and sometimes fling into the bag

2) The tight regulations about carrying liquids on planes makes packing complicated. What might we find in your quart-size bag? Ever lose a liquid that was too big?
I haven't had to surrender liquids, but have twice had scissors in my carry-on and had to surrender them My zip-lock bag usually contains the daily essentials: cleanser or face-wipes, moisturiser, lipstick, fragrance, toothpaste and brush.

3) What's something you can't imagine leaving at home?
I have left something important at home on many many trips - and have arrived with no hairbrush/ underwear/ pyjamas etc etc. There was the terrible day we arrived at airport with no passports. Better question for me is something I cannot imagine traveling without. Earrings. And to be honest I don't think I have ever traveled without them.

4) Do you have a bag with wheels?
Yes

5) What's your favorite reading material for a non-driving trip (plane, train, bus, ship)?
Great novels. Barbara Kingsolver's The Bean Trees was so brilliant on the most recent transPacific flight as it was set where we had been in Oklahoma and Arizona. Currently my daily commute is being enlightened by an historical account of the Underground Railway: Bound for Canaan Very very interesting.

RRR

Another week has gone by so fast and it's time to respond to the Friday Five posted by Songbird
over at RevGalBlogPals (with a very nice new refreshed webpage) She writes:
We're in the thick of it in church life as we approach the end of Lent. Palm Sunday and Holy Week await. In the midst of this busy-ness, I undertook a little redecorating here at RevGalBlogPals and found a new template for us. It's the sort of task I like in the middle of chaos, a chance to redo something, to refresh the way I feel, to restore some sense of order. Please share with us five ways you redo or refresh or restore your body, your space, your blog, anything in your life that needs perking up this week.

• This week I have been intentionally walking when I feel a bit jaded. Like tonight - it was one of those nights - started well: packed up handbag and laptop and left the office by 6 p.m. ready to get home and provide transport to a birthday party; stopped off in 'Ladies room' - realised still wearing heels - went back to office and changed into runners - for comfort - bus at stop was a godsend to get speedily to train - at Railway station realised I didn't have laptop. I had bought some water en route - did I leave it in the convenience store? Then again maybe I left it in office when I changed shoes? Could I get sacked for losing a work computer? What if someone hacked in and got all the school info/ exam questions/personal details? Quick call home and making of alternative transport arrangements - taxi to work - laptop by desk :-) Tempted to get taxi back to station but walked instead. Still home by 8 pm. Feeling good.

• A constant reminder of the first peoples of this land

• Make something. I have rediscovered knitting in the past few years and it is very rewarding to see a garment take shape. Rhythm relaxation refreshment. Also brings in the reuse and maybe recycle aspects of responsible light living.
  

• Plan a holiday. Booked flights to Avalon to travel the Great Ocean Road in the Easter break. Sorry that is a bit insensitive in a blog where so many members will be working their hardest at this all-important liturgical season. But it's true. And is something I have done this week.

• Clean the 'fridge. Great satisfaction last weekend from getting all that stainless steel of the refrigerator, dishwasher and oven back to something of their former shiny selves. Nothing like a good spring clean. Or autumn clean to be more accurate.
  

Movie night

A nice early Friday Five from Jan at RevGalBlogPals so I can play before I go to bed ... Jan writes: Whenever daughter MJ comes home on breaks from college, I get to go to movies, which has me thinking about motion pictures. Plus, it is fun to watch rented dvd's at home, which my husband prefers.

Share your preferences, opinions, and recommendations about movies! Choose 5 types of movies to discuss:

* action - never much sought after by me, but seemingly loved by our film group so in the last year I have seen a few. I really do find it hard to enter in to this type of movie which bombards with violence and death without real consideration of the human impact. Quantum Of Solace provided a quantum of reality in this regard, and I found it a better movie as a result.
* thriller - The Constant Gardener is the movie that first comes to mind in this category. Based of course on a marvelous novel. This movie I could really engage with. One of the creepiest movies I have seen is Disgrace - yet also a movie that remains with me and has some important themes that transcend the geographical location of the plot.
* drama - Frost/Nixon was maybe more a docudrama. Memorable as much for being viewed at the Darwin Deckchair Cinema as for the wonderful content. Helped me understand much more clearly an event I remember in recent history. I thought the dramatic characterisation was excellent. And for straight drama - the award winning Piano is a timeless treasure in my view.
* foreign - so what is foreign? At this end of the world many of the movies we watch come from beyond our shores. If we're talking about 'non-English language' then this is probably my favourite genre. Film festival lover from way back (and now no time to go sadly). Two favourites are very appropriate for the Easter season: 100 nails and Mary. The opening scene in the former was so shocking and gripping, and that tension didn't leave me throughout the performance. This is one of my all-time-favourite movies that I could watch again and again. Mary is also a wonderful movie. Juliette Binoche is so convincing. I'd like to watch it again this Easter.
* Vintage. In Claremore OK this summer (their winter) I watch my first Will Rogers movie (sorry I cannot remember the name of it). In Wellington the Aro video store had a wonderful range of classic (i.e. pre-1970) movies. I so miss that store, it is the best ever. But I digress. What did I rent and watch and remember from their nostalgia section: Lilies of the field with a young and gorgeous Sidney Poitier and very memorable characters; Goodbye Mr Chips - the 1939 version with surprising insight into the futility of war and the enduring value of friendship. Not quite so old but very powerful is The Wall - the amazing real-time capture of a nation reunited as blow-by-blow the barrier was dismantled.

Bonus: My first movie was 'The Sound of Music". It was the only movie we were allowed to see for a long time as it passed our parents' wholesomeness test. I still love to sing-along. The most recent outing was to see The Blind Side which I absolutely loved.

Bonus Bonus: Great Australian movie Bran Nue Dae seems alarmingly politically incorrect at times and has respected traditional elders on the advisory board. One of the movies where I have lol many many times, and realised at the end that this apparently light-hearted movie has conveyed a significantly deeper message about first peoples and country.

How religious is my spirituality ...

or how spiritual is my religious practice? Interesting questions raised by MomPriest at RevGalBlogPals in the Friday Five this week. She writes:

Yesterday I attended a led conference by Diana Butler Bass. She is presenting new ideas on the state of the church and why there is hope for Christianity. One of her premises is a Newsweek/Washington Post poll from 2005 that states that 55% of the people in this country describe themselves as religious AND spiritual.

Without going into detail about her understandings of religious and spiritual (you may want to attend one of her conferences, if you can) share with us five thoughts ideas or practices that you consider to be "religious." Then share with us five thoughts, ideas, or practices that you consider to be "spiritual."

For example one thought about religion might be that it is "salvation" Or an idea about religion might be that it it is an "institution" and a religious practice might be "going to church." An example of spiritual thought might be a phrase from a poem, a spiritual idea might be the inspiration for a piece of art and a spiritual practice might be meditation.

So, five thoughts, ideas, or practices that are religious....and then five thoughts, ideas or practices that are spiritual. OR are they the same thing to you?

I certainly think of these concepts as being intertwined if not exactly the same. Maybe the best statement of my thinking is that religion is an expression of spirituality. So for example I read the holy scriptures of the Christian tradition as a part of my spiritual development. So for me it's not so much compare and contrast as identifying the broader spiritual domain within which my religious practices fit. I have focused on practice - as I cannot begin to work out where the dividing line is for thoughts and ideas.

Religion	Spirituality
‘Going without’ in Lent	Exercising discipline
Liturgical practice	Articulating faith
Reading scripture	Entering into tradition
Receiving sacraments	Participating in community
Contributing to mission	Engaging in social justice

I must admit this was one week where I wanted to see what others had written before I ventured to put finger to keyboard myself. Glad I didn't though. Now I'll post and go see where this interesting task took other revgal readers.

Afterthought: Interesting that I haven't listed prayer anywhere. Just an observation. I think it is also part of participating in community.

Fantastic February Friday Five

From Jan this week. And posted before I go to bed on Friday as well which is a lovely bonus. For some reason I cannot cut and paste tonight so I'll try to capture the gist of her meme as I answer it below:
What do you think as you approach the month of February?
First peoples. Waitangi Day - as Jan mentions the day on which Maori in Aotearoa New Zealand signed a Treaty with the British Crown in 1840. Celebrated well here in Sydney last weekend at Merrylands. And this weekend marks two years since Prime Minister Kevin Rudd made a formal apology to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples of this country for government policies and official action which tore families apart and left generations-lasting scars.
Valentines Day. Ten years ago on Sunday my Dad died suddenly (it was a Monday night) so this is a time of mixed feelings. I love the day though. Not the commercial aspect but the opportunity to do something fun. I bought a gift that all the family can enjoy at Oxfam a few weeks ago.
February also marks a US Federal Holiday to remember George Washington. Who is your favourite president?
Tempted to say Castro. But I think the spirit of the question refers to the USA. After our wonderful visit in December and January I feel there are too many to choose from. Night at the Museum 2' brings Lincoln to mind in gigantic proportions. We visited the Woodrow Wilson museum in Washington DC. And the JFK tomb at Arlington. But actually I go back to Lincoln. The difficult times he presided over. His agony at committing troops to war. His commitment to freedom. His battles with depression. And his home life. Quite a story.
Shrove Tuesday - how will you celebrate?
Pancakes pancakes pancakes. At home and at work. FUN! In our previous faith community this was a wonderful event for the whole suburb, with pancakes in the park (it is of course the hottest month of the year downunder) entertainment and an explanation of lent and easter from a Christian perspective.
Other ways to celebrate in February.
Lent Event. Swimming at the beach. Picnic dinner. Outdoor movies. And indoor movies too. On the 26th we will be holding our annual Blessing of the Hands ceremony for the first year medical students which is a marvellous celebration.

BONUS: Lent website or video
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QMx5GL
and a brand new discovery on the Book of Face tonight - go to www.overcomingviolence.org and follow the link to the multimedia study for Lent.

Lent Event 2010

It's that time of year again when the focus starts to move from Epiphany to Lent. The 2010 promo for Lent Event is, in my view, excellent and worth sharing

Transportation meme

A very timely Friday Five from Songbird at RevGalBlogPals who writes:

By the time you're reading this, I'll be en route to a Great Big City to see my son in a play. I'll go by car and bus and train and no doubt cab and maybe even subway. Thus, our Friday Five.

1) What was the mode of transit for your last trip?
A total blow-out on our collective carbon footprint with several thousand airmiles across the Pacific and Continental United States. Supplemented with a mini-van from Phoenix to Grand Canyon, rental car St Louis Missouri-Baldwin City Kansas-Claremore Oklahoma, and bus from New York to Washington DC.
2) Have you ever traveled by train?
Yes yes yes every day (in a way I'm surprised this is even a question). And there have been some longer train journeys: When I left home for University it was train (and ferry) all the way from Hamilton to Dunedin. The train trip from Bombay (the contemporary name of the city) to Raxaul in India will never be forgotten. And I have just been remembering the trip last summer from Melbourne to Sydney which provided a glimpse of the vastness of this great continent.
3) Do you live in a place with public transit, and if so, do you use it?
Yes - see above. Buses and trains are a part of my everyday routine.
4) What's the most unusual vehicle in which you've ever traveled?
Now this is a hard one. Compared with the urban west the rickshaws in India are unusual but in their context they are the most common form of transport, in my adolescence there were hairraising rides in utes and motorcycles through farm paddock terrain but in those cases it was the route and not the vehicle that was unusual. Our family car growing up was 'one-of-a-kind' however: an Austin Cambridge somehow less common than the ubiquitous Morris Oxford, and in our case repainted a bight mustard-yellow colour instead of the turquoise blue of it's beginning. Our car was instantly recognisable!
5) What's the next trip you're planning to take?
Well the trip to work tomorrow - but in terms of big trip probably Easter in Broome and maybe a chance to see in person the sights of Bran Nue Dae which is one of the best movies I have seen in recent weeks

BONUS: What are the trip(s) you really want to make?
Three at least: Ghan (train again) from Adelaide to Darwin, perpendicular to that the Indian Pacific to Perth, and thirdly the Great Ocean Walk which looks so spectacular.

It's all about me

One of the things I was looking forward to with a month in the USA was being in the right time zone for the Friday Five posted on RevGalBlogPals each week. What I didn't factor in was the irregular access to the Internet as a traveller! And the one housebound Friday was Christmas Day when the RevGals were either superbusy or taking a well-deserved rest

So here I am on a very hot Saturday, responding to Jan's invitation to participate in an activity inspired by her current EFM task. She writes:

In EFM this week, our question was, "If you were a color, what would you be?" So that's where this Friday Five comes from, at least its jumping off place.

1. If you were a color, what would you be?
This is kind of different I think to my favourite colour. The immediate response is soft yellow. The colour of early sunset and late sunrise. A touch of warmth and rather luminous.
2. If you were a flower (or plant), what would you be?
A rose like the ones in our garden. Blooming somewhat unpredictably and enjoying freedom to grow as well as seasonal care
3. If you were an animal, what kind would you be?
Something surprising and contextual. Platypus or wombat, echidna or gecko.
4. If you were a shoe, what type would you be?
Josef Siebel with flowers (sensible and quirky)
5. If you were a typeface, which font would you be?

Century Schoolbook or Bookman Old Style