New Years

I had a very pleasant New Years. I want to write about it because there's details I just don't want to forget.

We were so privileged in everything we did. I felt so provided for, with company, with food, weather and nature and safety.

The first two days was solid chilling, with the accompaniment of our friend the sun. Han, Katie and I evicted some earwigs from their residence in the log that would become our washing line for drying togs towels and the like.

Early on I remember saying "I wish Kent was coming" to Han and then the next day Kent, Phil and Rosie were totally with us playing music pictionary, cooking microwave meals on a gas cooker and making sandwiches. Phil blessed us with his sweet yellow beach umbrella that seemed unnecessary since we had become beach creatures, but we definitely were missing it soon after they left.

There was a family already camping there when we showed up who had three boys and the mum did not stop telling them off... it was something more than discipline. My goodness.

Mum: "Merlin"
Merlin: "Yes?"
Mum: "Stop being a prat."

He was just being a bit of a character, not even being a jerk or anything and she was just like shutting him down! So stink. We were happy when they left.


Then on the 31st Saskia, Lance and Maud managed to make their way down to chill for new years, which was awesome because originally they weren't gonna make it.
We met them in Clevedon and then ushered them into our sweet beach paradise. Maud was being  super cute and missing Mike, Lance was playing Pokemon and Saskia was taking sweet photos.

Oh man so many creatures living out at Taffy (Tawhitokino). Mostly insects. But a lot of them. But also birds, cool ones, diving ones, and also a stingray.

We played so much Bananagrams, courtesy of Gloria Ward. That was definitely a highlight. Especially when Phil won. And themed B-grams! Bible/Spiritual verison and Proper Noun version. And then with Rogan and James!

Its funny, I think that 'New Years,' like the actual turn of the new year, wasn't as impressive than all the other stuff that happened.

Like going to Clevedon Presbyterian on Sunday for my first church service of the year and finding the Chapman family and being invited over for lunch. Such a beautiful and open family. Expert hospitality.  They were like first century Christians or something. Great company and great love. It was almost cheesey how sweet it was - cute kids, a dog chillin in the background and three generations of family.

Then a homeschool version of church on the hill at the beach that night. I think it was one of the best services I've been to. We even did communion. Katie was leading worship via iPod, and I think Han was on data projector or something?

There was a family that came to our campsite a couple of days before we left who were really cool. Speaking Afrikaans and giving us dinner! So sweet. And hilarious. James (6), with his catchline "Who is busy winning!?" and his sister Rogan (9), giving Han plenty of sass and helping Katie brush up on her Afrikaans.
And their Dad giving Han a bit over being an October boy instead of an April child, that was pretty funny.
Such a sweet family though. Charlotte and Laurie shared with us their story of coming to New Zealand over a fire and marshmallows. Really nice. Seems so storybook, but it wasn't lame. Just really authentic and beautiful.
And also hilarious when Amy was totally beating the heck out of a piece of coal, haha.

Then on the last night we checked out the phosphorescent creatures living in the ocean. Han pointed out how they were like the tiny version of the stars we'd been admiring every night so far. Sparkles in a great big black. I'm grateful that we've retained a sense of wonder about our universe.

It was good in the end making our packs as light as possible for the half hour hike to the carpark, having already walked some gear out. Then we had a final swim out to a floating pontoon thing to chill in the sun and then pray together as Amy was prompted.

This whole trip was good a reminder of what it is to be truly human. To pull together, share in the beauty of nature, have good laughs and be grateful to God. It was like a Sabbath from the year past.

I want to be a child.

Pure, innocent, and full of the joy of hopscotch.
Brave enough to swallow chewing gum, and with abounding faithfulness.

But I also want to be a man.
Able and caring.
Wise, strong, reliable, loving and humble. Good at building things too.

Mark 10:15
1 Corinthians 14:20

Sometimes I can see how much work I must be for God. I really want to go where he takes me. I really want to be who he makes me.

Ricky's Atheism

Just thoughts on Ricky's atheism. As shown in this article...

http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2010/12/19/a-holiday-message-from-ricky-gervais-why-im-an-atheist/


"People who believe in God don’t need proof of his existence, and they certainly don’t want evidence to the contrary."

Yes people of faith do need and want proof. Its just not the same as the proof Ricky looks for. We often first find proof for God in our experiences and then we go on to find more tangible stuff like evidence of the bible and for the things it talks about in history.

People of faith don't often look for evidence against God because what they already know has been enough for them to look for God and if they have found Him, you can't really deny it. Just like you can't deny any other person you find.

"I don’t believe in God because there is absolutely no scientific evidence for his existence and from what I’ve heard the very definition is a logical impossibility in this known universe."

Science doesn't offer a well-rounded view of the world. No you won't find much scientific evidence for God, neither will you find evidence for love, self-sacrifice and grace.

Science is one (very useful) way of analyzing our world, but it can't be used as a measure for all things as though ALL things in the world are scientific. All things may have scientific aspects, but if an object has qualities outside of science, you won't be able to see them if you use science as your only measure.

For instance, you could know my white blood cell count, my height, weight, date of birth and allergies, but you would have no clue of my favourite colour, my childhood experiences and my aspirations or dreams.

Science would be good at compartmentalising and naming many things about me, but it couldn't evaluate anything of my personality and my nature. Same with God.

"...Science seeks the truth."

Science is not the only practice that seeks truth. At the core of all major categories of education is the search for truth. Truth in medicine, philosophy, theology, anthropology etc. Science or physics isn't this one magical category looking for truth, and its not the only one that HAS truth.

The conviction about whether there is or isn't a God all seems to come down to what you as a person experience, and how you react to your experiences. When Ricky was a kid he was made to feel a fool for believing in God and enjoying it. Being in the minority of belief didn't help, so he opted out. He became convinced that it was just another fairy tale, except this biblical fairy tale had a really poor moral, basically that the whole thing was a sham, as far as Ricky could tell.
This experience Ricky had as a kid was clearly enough for him to start building his worldview around the idea that there is no God, and if that's what you're looking for, if that's the worldview you're predisposed towards, then its very likely that's what you're going to end up finding.

Gifts of 'truth, science and nature' that Ricky says he experienced in his new atheism are something most Christians also experience.

"How come you aren't brainwashed?" is a pretty cynical interpretation of "Why don't you believe in God?"
Doesn't it depend who's asking and who's answering and like a million other things?

Ricky's right about forgiveness, its not just a Christian virtue. It's a true virtue, wherever you find it. That virtue belongs wholly to God. It is true, and it is God's truth, He owns it, no matter who runs around claiming it, whether its Ricky Gervais or some lad named John.

According to Ricky, his reward is here and now and, in part, so is ours if we seek it. Amen.

Joseph at Christmas and Easter

Just the other day I found out that the guy that took Jesus down from the cross and put him in the tomb was called Joseph. So Jesus 'father' was Joseph as well. I don't know if this means anything or if there's anything cool/interesting going on here, that there's a Joseph with Jesus when he was born and another Joseph when he died but I'm curious as.
Just seems like the Bible is too awesome to have a 'coincidence' like this and it not mean anything, but I've never even noticed it before!


Also Psalm 25 is really awesome. It has recently brought me relief and encouragement so I wanted to share it. So check it out!

what's been breathing into me these days

Alan Alda's autobiography
Why do I love art?
Jon Foreman
Leonard Cohen and my theories on getting old
Rob Bell
My Dad
Thoughts on mental health and schizophrenia
Guitar and hand-throat coordination
Jesus loving me. Reading his parables

Captcha creativity

You know those word verification things you have to enter sometimes?
Isn't it awesome when they say something really cool. Like, "Winglace" for example?
Beautiful.

Reading

The best thing about reading the in the garden is all the bugs that come and join in.
Seriously ants just chillin on the page.