A Worthy Task

Dear Lord, I do not ask
That Thou should’st give me some big work of Thine,
Some noble calling, or some wondrous task.
Give me a little hand to hold in mine;

Give me a little child to point the way
Over the strange, sweet path that leads to Thee;
Give me a little voice to teach to pray;
Give me two shining eyes Thy face to see.

The only crown I ask, dear Lord, to wear
Is this: that I may teach a little child.

I do not ask that I may ever stand
Among the wise, the worthy, or the great;
I only ask that softly, hand in hand,
A child and I may enter at the Gate.

Perspective of a Four year old

The weekend was spent visiting with family, Mum, Dad, sister and brother in law and two neices. We came home with an extra piece of luggage - in the shape of a four year old. How the world changes when you are exposed to the perspectives of one so full of optimism and adventure.

This morning it snowed during breakfast - winter continues to exert "mission creep" and rob spring of some of its splendour. But the flowers are not to be bluffed, sharing their created glory in a rolling cascade of colour that opens up our eyes to another facet of the unseen beauty in our garden as we go through our first Spring in our home.

Anyway - the wonder on the face of a four year old, and the ensuing discussions about the happenings are tonic to the world weary soul. Unparalleled in a home empty of children, they refresh the spirit and bring a perspective to the day. Unfortunately the substitutionary companionship of the hound does lack somewhat in the intellectual interaction that a child's wonder brings.

I wonder how this equates to our Christian "childhood" and God's pleasure in sharing with us the wonder of his world. When do we loose that optimism and spirit of adventure in our walk of faith? Can we recapture it in both the natural and spiritual realm? Reading in Isaiah 54 this morning brought out the effort and reward available. A soul, left barren and bereft of blessing through stubborness, rebellion and unholiness can through discipline and repentance be restored - just as Israel was. Have I the strength to see past short term satisfaction to eternal consequence - ESHV.

Processing and Stimulation

Apparently I exhibit balanced hemispheric dominance and a strong visual preference - or so the survey says!

It is the intensity of my sensory preference which may more determine my learning style.

I absorb my environmnet, selecting out details and simultaneously embedding them in a context, an overall perspective which adds nuances of meaning. Given the prodigious rate that I input information, I naturally utilise the services of both hemispheres more or less equally.

I am active and searching, which produces energy. Because I can process multiple inputs comfortably, I do not experience the indecisions of a person with mixed sensory preference. I am able to focus on more than one aspect of a situation and push for resolution.

I can tolerate ambiguity, which is good since I will experience a lot of it due to my input style. While a part of me will always seek completion, the other part will accept the process as it is. I may occasionally get impatient with myself. I will always be able to work through problems in a logical sequence or given order, but I will have other options avialable to me as well.

I may find that I have insufficient time to reflect on my experiences and thus lose a sense of meaning, not appreciating my "inner being" as much as I might otherwise.

Many people would envy my combination of characteristics. Constantly seeking stimulation, I am artistic without needing to be "odd", an active learner and yet reasonably logical and disciplined.

Hmmmmmmmmm! - Thanks Steve, you have given me something to think about.

Andrew blogged, I read, I responded and ....

Andrew blogged, I read, I responded and ended up venting on the current situation. Below is the heart of my missive to him

He wrote

I hope your Saturday morning gives you rest and peace and HOPE for the rest of the week -- because ultimately, I affirm that its not the presence of the institutions and their suckage that =s The Nothing --- it's the seeping & creeping away of HOPE in the bustle of trying to keep up with the great Sucking....and i hope that rest & hope leaves you feeling God's

peace~


I wrote:

My friend, your summary gains concurrence from this part of the world. I have a weariness in my bones, an ache in my heart and an emptiness in my soul that has its foundation in the gravel rash ravished across my bare butt as "the system" drags me along.

Where is the pressure release, when is there time out? Are we victims of the system, or victims of our dreaming of a better way? When do we have the right to punch out, to blame the world for our woes and accept that this is not the way we were created to be? Or are we obliged to accept that we are in the world but not of the world (a challenge) when the world seeks to be all consuming of either our time or our attention (interesting connect to the time vs attention management discussion). Do we have the right to want to be released from this bondage - is this part of our curse after the fall? How can we "Be still and know that He is God"? When can we?

Priorities?!

I have little optimism today - my attitude is sapping my altitude - I spent the most glorious Saturday in the last six months, laying on a couch ill, while many priorities reserved for such a day went unattended. Last night I had four hours sleep - is this a bad time to be reflecting on the greater purpose of life?!

More questions than answers.

I trust that you are travelling well. Busy times, exciting moments, challenges for time, effort, mental energy. Kel has two weeks semester break, I am too weak and need a semester break!!

Spring descended with a passion on the weekend, but I was feeling shabby. The frustration. Today winter extends its tendrils into our fair season, with a gentle rain falling from a leaden sky outside - makes my mood easier to bear!!!

Still enjoying your passion for your craft - still searching for my own, passion and craft that is......

m<><

12.5 %

My weblog owns 12.5 % of me.
Does your weblog own you?

I am disturbed that I am 2/3 as consumed as my blogging mentor, when his efforts are much more all encompassing than mine. It is scary what to think someone who is really consumed would be producing!

Tardiness, Apathy and the Reality of Life

Over two weeks and not a word has appeared. A saying we have in the military "Excuses are like (a certain part of the anatomy), everybody has one!" So no excuse, just the reality of a busy schedule and a lack of thinking space. However - attention management, not time management is the answer!!

Unlike my good friend, I do not have any renovation horror stories to account for the business of life, no flooded rooms (again). I have two wood fires that keep my chain saw busy, I have a half completed chicken run, several landscaping projects in conceptual stage, and a mitre drop saw that is yet to be calibrated.

But it doesn't matter because everything needs to be taken one step at a time!!!

Did I mention that my little run about currently sounds like a V8 Supercar? - booked in for a new muffler tomorrow; the 4WD needs a service - always painful in the hip pocket.

With this domestic to do list hanging over my head it thrilled my heart to go shopping on the weekend!- for a new couch and mattress!!! Oh the joys.

But it doesn't matter because everything needs to be taken one step at a time!!!

Hold versus Cling

Driving to church last Sunday we were listening on the radio to a message from an American preacher - Reggie Dabbs. Very powerful, left us sitting in the car park after we arrived, listening to the end instead of moving straight into church.

The rub came when he amplified the difference between Hold and Cling - we hold onto many things in our lives; a casual grip of convenience, including God. What do we cling to? What do we grip as if our lives depend on it?

Pastor then preached on Hold Fast - no coincidence, preordained confluence of thought!! When will we let go of the routine, mundane, domestic and cling to elements of our lives that have an eternal consequence?

We are given a birth date, we are given a date of death. On our tombstone nothing seperates the two save a tiny dash (-). That (-) makes all the difference.