Some times I think I should be a stay at home dad. After all there are stay at home mums, why not stay at home dads. But then again, maybe not. I don't think Mrs Manager could cope with me being home all day. Michele and Cathy would love it but not Mum. Why did I say that? Well today was day shift. I am not fond of day shift. I am away from home all day on day shift. This morning I was out the door at 0930 and didn't get back in the door until almost 1830. That's a waste. I like early or late shift so I can get time with my family every day. I mean quantity time as well as quality time. Both are important.
I was listening to the news going to work today. There is this 9 year old boy who has been caught for the third time with a stolen car. Each time it results in a smash. So far no one has been hurt. But it's only a matter of time. Why isn't the child being detained? Because the police can't charge him with anything because he is too young. And what's more the boy knows it and thumbs his nose at police. They can't touch him and he plays on it. He can do what ever he wants with complete immunity. That is a crying shame. There is more to the story and I am not going to divulge that here. That's not why I raised the issue. I want to know why the Child protection services haven't step ed in. He is "chroming" (paint sniffing) and all sorts of things. This little child is headed for jail at best and possibly death. All because our society doesn't love him enough to discipline him. All he needs to stop him in his tracks and turn him around is for some one to give him some love and discipline. And I don't mean a good spanking. All though it may come to that. He is an older child I agree and certainly old enough to know that what he is doing is wrong. In fact he appears to know that, but still he continues on. He needs some one to listen to him. And ignore some of his bad behaviour. He needs taking off the streets. I think, I may be wrong, but I think he is crying out for some attention. Yes, probably a good spanking, but at the same time some tender love may not go astray. But the biggest question must be aimed at Family And Community Services. Why is this kid still running loose on our streets? Must he kill himself, or some one else, before some one takes note?
Friday, 29 June 2007
Thursday, 28 June 2007
Thursday 28th June 2007 Catherine
I am a bragged. Yes, that's me. I brag. A lot. I have an ego as big as Eyre's Rock. Oops, I can't call it that now. It's Uluru. Ain't that a fancy title for a big stone. I am a proud dad. And humble. I am proud of my humility.
This morning was one of those mornings. You know, the one you have where it appears your running around like a chook with its head cut off? But we did get all done that we wanted.
Cathy had her four month check up today at the Maternal Health nurse. Basically what they do is to tell you what you already know. That is that your darling is "normal", what ever that it. Our "normal" child now weighs 6.690 kilograms. What's that in pounds do I hear you say? 6.69000 kilograms = 14.7489253 pounds. In other words she is on a good paddock and thriving. She is well on her way to doubling her birth weight by 6 months. What does that mean Well she was 4.3 kg at birth. So she should be 8.6 by 6 months. And I will still be able to out raspberry her. I will still get into trouble for taking way too long when it comes to changing a nappy. Talking of nappy's. No, I wont mention "that" word. Any way she was so bad that I decided that a shower was the only way to go. So she got striped on the way to the shower and had a shower with her dad. It really is the quickest way of cleaning a dirty child. Of course Mrs Manager came to the rescue and dried her off after her shower.
What did Michele do? Well after Cathy had finished of she jumped into the shower and we proceeded to have a duck throwing competition. What's a duck throwing competition do I hear? Well, I am glad you asked. Basically it goes like this. DD1 gets duck from floor of shower and throws same up in the air as high as she can. Dad catches the duck and squeezes said duck on DD1's belly, or back or arm or leg or anywhere he can whilst DD1 squeals with delight. This also gets the wrath of Mrs Manager as "there is way to much noise coming from the bathroom and who is going to clean up the mess and Michele will you stop squealing like a pig!?"
I was reading this article in the Herald Sun the other day. Apparently some one has miraculously discovered what we have known for a while, and found out purely by accident. Kids love cooking. And that they should be encouraged to be involved. No, we don't use them as unpaid servants. DD1 loves cooking. She also loves preparing food. So far we have had one accident. She slipped with a potato peeler and cut her finger. There was a lot of blood and some crying. More from shock than anything. Did it stop her? No. Next day she was back at it again. When we have lamb roast, it is Michele's task to stir the gravy whilst I make the cheese sauce for the cauliflower cheese. And she loves it. Especially as she gets to lick the spoon. Steph tends to be more cautious than me. I can understand that. I would be to if I couldn't see.
I think there would be a riot in this house if we tried to stop DD1 from being involved in what we do. She may only be 3.5 but she seems to get a big kick out of what we do.
Listen to what the "experts" say. Oh, while I remember it. I heard a goody about experts. An expert is some one who knows a lot about very little.
1. Encourage kids to cook as soon as they show interest.
2. Involve them in every step: choosing recipes, shopping for ingredients, cooking eating and cleaning up;
When it's cooking time, direct the children to get the ingredients and line them up on the bench like a train;
3. Allow children to be hands on. Butter knives can be used in place of sharp knives, and some foods can be torn apart by hand instead of cutting. And so on it goes.
I tried to get the website for this but couldn't. The article was in City Style in the Melbourne Herald Sun on Tuesday June 29Th 2007.
And last, but not least, Catherine is snoring!
This morning was one of those mornings. You know, the one you have where it appears your running around like a chook with its head cut off? But we did get all done that we wanted.
Cathy had her four month check up today at the Maternal Health nurse. Basically what they do is to tell you what you already know. That is that your darling is "normal", what ever that it. Our "normal" child now weighs 6.690 kilograms. What's that in pounds do I hear you say? 6.69000 kilograms = 14.7489253 pounds. In other words she is on a good paddock and thriving. She is well on her way to doubling her birth weight by 6 months. What does that mean Well she was 4.3 kg at birth. So she should be 8.6 by 6 months. And I will still be able to out raspberry her. I will still get into trouble for taking way too long when it comes to changing a nappy. Talking of nappy's. No, I wont mention "that" word. Any way she was so bad that I decided that a shower was the only way to go. So she got striped on the way to the shower and had a shower with her dad. It really is the quickest way of cleaning a dirty child. Of course Mrs Manager came to the rescue and dried her off after her shower.
What did Michele do? Well after Cathy had finished of she jumped into the shower and we proceeded to have a duck throwing competition. What's a duck throwing competition do I hear? Well, I am glad you asked. Basically it goes like this. DD1 gets duck from floor of shower and throws same up in the air as high as she can. Dad catches the duck and squeezes said duck on DD1's belly, or back or arm or leg or anywhere he can whilst DD1 squeals with delight. This also gets the wrath of Mrs Manager as "there is way to much noise coming from the bathroom and who is going to clean up the mess and Michele will you stop squealing like a pig!?"
I was reading this article in the Herald Sun the other day. Apparently some one has miraculously discovered what we have known for a while, and found out purely by accident. Kids love cooking. And that they should be encouraged to be involved. No, we don't use them as unpaid servants. DD1 loves cooking. She also loves preparing food. So far we have had one accident. She slipped with a potato peeler and cut her finger. There was a lot of blood and some crying. More from shock than anything. Did it stop her? No. Next day she was back at it again. When we have lamb roast, it is Michele's task to stir the gravy whilst I make the cheese sauce for the cauliflower cheese. And she loves it. Especially as she gets to lick the spoon. Steph tends to be more cautious than me. I can understand that. I would be to if I couldn't see.
I think there would be a riot in this house if we tried to stop DD1 from being involved in what we do. She may only be 3.5 but she seems to get a big kick out of what we do.
Listen to what the "experts" say. Oh, while I remember it. I heard a goody about experts. An expert is some one who knows a lot about very little.
1. Encourage kids to cook as soon as they show interest.
2. Involve them in every step: choosing recipes, shopping for ingredients, cooking eating and cleaning up;
When it's cooking time, direct the children to get the ingredients and line them up on the bench like a train;
3. Allow children to be hands on. Butter knives can be used in place of sharp knives, and some foods can be torn apart by hand instead of cutting. And so on it goes.
I tried to get the website for this but couldn't. The article was in City Style in the Melbourne Herald Sun on Tuesday June 29Th 2007.
And last, but not least, Catherine is snoring!
Monday, 25 June 2007
Monday 25th June 2007 Be Encouraged!
The end of the book for the moment. No, I am not going to comment about this book today. I will leave that for another time. I just make one comment. Chapter 32 marks the end of God's statement to the nations who got stuck into Israel.
I am on late shift today. This gives me all day with my family. Michele wanted a book reading. Did that. Cathy needed a shitty nappy changed, plus a hand sucking competition. Did that. The oven needed cleaning. I started that. I will finish it tomorrow while Michele is at preschool and Mrs Manager is at KYB. That's the plan anyway. All subject to change without notice. I get home from work at about 0130 in the morning. Up at 0800 to get Michele off to school and all that. Late shift again tomorrow though not as late as today.
Quote:
This daily encouragement comes from 'The Word for Today' devotional available free from UCB Australia (www.ucb.com.au)
Many of us grew up with parents who withheld their love as an expression of their disapproval. And we think God does that too. But He doesn't. "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are" (1 Jn 3:1 NIV).
CS Lewis wrote: 'God, who needs nothing, loving into existence wholly superfluous creatures in order that He may love and perfect them. God did not make us because He was bored, lonely, or had run out of things to do. He created us to be the objects of His love! Sometimes our actions make us unlovely, but we are never unloved. And because God loves us - we have value. And nobody can take that value away. God's love revealed at Calvary fastens itself onto flawed creatures like us, and for reasons none of us can ever quite figure out, makes us precious and valued beyond calculation. This is love beyond reason. And this is the love with which God loves us.
'Soulfood Bible Readings - Hosea 1-5, Matt 21:1-17, Ps 144:9-15, Pr 14:5-8
To view any more information please visit The Word For Today Website atwww.thewordfortoday.com.au
End Quote.
We get these every day. Some are OK, others are really encouraging. This is up there with the best.
I am on late shift today. This gives me all day with my family. Michele wanted a book reading. Did that. Cathy needed a shitty nappy changed, plus a hand sucking competition. Did that. The oven needed cleaning. I started that. I will finish it tomorrow while Michele is at preschool and Mrs Manager is at KYB. That's the plan anyway. All subject to change without notice. I get home from work at about 0130 in the morning. Up at 0800 to get Michele off to school and all that. Late shift again tomorrow though not as late as today.
Quote:
This daily encouragement comes from 'The Word for Today' devotional available free from UCB Australia (www.ucb.com.au)
22 June 2007 - God loves you - He really does!
HOW GREAT IS THE LOVE THE FATHER HAS LAVISHED ON US. (1 JOHN 3:1 NIV)
Nothing could make God love you more than He does right now: not greater achievement, greater beauty, greater recognition; not even greater Spirituality. And nothing could make Him love you less: not your character flaws, your past failures and regrets. The irony is, we spend our lives trying to earn a love that can only be received by faith when we acknowledge that within us there's an emptiness only God can fill. And He will. But the truth is, learning to live in the love of God is the challenge of a lifetime.Many of us grew up with parents who withheld their love as an expression of their disapproval. And we think God does that too. But He doesn't. "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are" (1 Jn 3:1 NIV).
CS Lewis wrote: 'God, who needs nothing, loving into existence wholly superfluous creatures in order that He may love and perfect them. God did not make us because He was bored, lonely, or had run out of things to do. He created us to be the objects of His love! Sometimes our actions make us unlovely, but we are never unloved. And because God loves us - we have value. And nobody can take that value away. God's love revealed at Calvary fastens itself onto flawed creatures like us, and for reasons none of us can ever quite figure out, makes us precious and valued beyond calculation. This is love beyond reason. And this is the love with which God loves us.
'Soulfood Bible Readings - Hosea 1-5, Matt 21:1-17, Ps 144:9-15, Pr 14:5-8
To view any more information please visit The Word For Today Website atwww.thewordfortoday.com.au
End Quote.
We get these every day. Some are OK, others are really encouraging. This is up there with the best.
Sunday, 24 June 2007
The Ten Hairy Commandments
These were on a bag containing hair care products.
1. Thou shalt not mistreat thy hair;
2. Thou shalt not seek unqualified advice;
3. Thou shalt not envy thy sisters' perm;
4. Thou shalt not use inferior products;
5. Honour thy follicles;
6. Thou shalt not let thy mother cut thy hair;
7. Thou shalt not use a laundry iron to straighten thy hair;
8. Keep thy styling products sacred;
9. Thou shalt not use tacky hair accessories;
10. Worship thy hair.
This is the genuine article from Exodus 20:1-17
1) "Thou shalt have no other gods before me."
2) "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image,"
3) "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain;"
4) "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy."
5) "Honor thy father and thy mother:"
6) "Thou shalt not kill."
7) "Thou shalt not commit adultery"
8) "Thou shalt not steal."
9) "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor."
10) "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house,.....nor anything that is thy neighbor's
I remember Tony Campolo's take on a few of these:
1. There are no other gods, I'm it!
2. I don't do photo's;
3. Don't mess with my name;
4. Saturday, be in church!
5. Be good to your mum and dad;
and so on. I can't remember them all. One day I will dig out the sermon.
I happen to think in my not some humble opinion that they are more important today than when they were written all those century's ago.
I find it rather amazing that people have got to question every law that God gives. If one will take the time to sit down and think about it, all God laws make logical sense, even those that don't seem to.
Take this one for example. After the birth of a child a woman was considered to be unclean and so had so many days of separation. That, at face value is so cruel that it isn't funny. Not so! Think on it a wee while. A woman needs time to bond with her baby, to establish things like breast feeding and so on. She also needs time away from the constant demands of a husband. Does it make more sense now? Apply this to the rest and see what you come up with. Have a look in Leviticus and see what you find.
As you go, apply one rule of thumb. God is Holy and Pure. God's design should never be tampered with. If we do, we do so at our peril.
And for those who consider that the house wife should be "bare foot and pregnant in the kitchen", go read Proverbs 31. You are in for a shock. Just read it and accept what it says at face value.
1. Thou shalt not mistreat thy hair;
2. Thou shalt not seek unqualified advice;
3. Thou shalt not envy thy sisters' perm;
4. Thou shalt not use inferior products;
5. Honour thy follicles;
6. Thou shalt not let thy mother cut thy hair;
7. Thou shalt not use a laundry iron to straighten thy hair;
8. Keep thy styling products sacred;
9. Thou shalt not use tacky hair accessories;
10. Worship thy hair.
This is the genuine article from Exodus 20:1-17
1) "Thou shalt have no other gods before me."
2) "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image,"
3) "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain;"
4) "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy."
5) "Honor thy father and thy mother:"
6) "Thou shalt not kill."
7) "Thou shalt not commit adultery"
8) "Thou shalt not steal."
9) "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor."
10) "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house,.....nor anything that is thy neighbor's
I remember Tony Campolo's take on a few of these:
1. There are no other gods, I'm it!
2. I don't do photo's;
3. Don't mess with my name;
4. Saturday, be in church!
5. Be good to your mum and dad;
and so on. I can't remember them all. One day I will dig out the sermon.
I happen to think in my not some humble opinion that they are more important today than when they were written all those century's ago.
I find it rather amazing that people have got to question every law that God gives. If one will take the time to sit down and think about it, all God laws make logical sense, even those that don't seem to.
Take this one for example. After the birth of a child a woman was considered to be unclean and so had so many days of separation. That, at face value is so cruel that it isn't funny. Not so! Think on it a wee while. A woman needs time to bond with her baby, to establish things like breast feeding and so on. She also needs time away from the constant demands of a husband. Does it make more sense now? Apply this to the rest and see what you come up with. Have a look in Leviticus and see what you find.
As you go, apply one rule of thumb. God is Holy and Pure. God's design should never be tampered with. If we do, we do so at our peril.
And for those who consider that the house wife should be "bare foot and pregnant in the kitchen", go read Proverbs 31. You are in for a shock. Just read it and accept what it says at face value.
Sunday 24th June 2007 Heathens
That's us. We didn't go to church today. Actually with Michele being they way she was, we considered it better to keep her out of the cold air for a bit longer. Her nose really is giving her some grief. It runs like a tap and the cold mixture is only just keeping on top of it. So we were heathens.
Actually if I was truthful I would say I am bored with church, full stop. There it is I have said it. But I am fed up with the show that is put on in churches that is supposed to worship and all that. Yes, I know Hebrews 10:24-25. For those of you who don't go read it. But for those of you who do, let me say that if the drivel that is put up purporting to be a worship service is all there is then quite frankly I think it is just entertainment and totally an utterly boring! We tell Michele that we go to church to sing songs to Jesus, talk to Jesus and have Jesus talk to us. I wonder if Jesus really likes the songs we sing. Some how I doubt it. I mean He hears the same old bits thirty thousand times each and every weekend. Imagine half the universe doing that to you every weekend. You'd get pretty bored pretty quick. Especially if most of the people really didn't mean what they sang, which most don't. Then we go to talk to Jesus. No, we don't! Some one else tells Jesus what they think we want them to say. Then lastly, and usually least, Jesus talks to us. No He doesn't. When was the last time a preacher actually sat down and asked Christ what His message was for the people at that time! Perhaps you are a preacher who is reading this. Well, I dare you to message me and tell me how long you spend seeking Christ as to what His message is for the people in your congregation this weekend! And I don't mean time spent consulting the many concordances and encyclopedias or different versions of the Bible you have. Or the amount of time spent working out what Mr Calvin or whoever your preferred view of theology might be. I know we are to defend the faith. I am not talking about that. I mean time spend growing corns on your knees with sweat from your brow and your eyes red with the tears you have shed over your congregation. Paul said he travailed like a woman in birth pains over the churches he had started.
Now for my next subject. I read about this in a friends blog. A Judge in Texas has moved to ban a drink called Cocaine Energy drink or something like that. Any way the fellow said in his blog that he didn't want some judge telling him what he may or may not do or how he may or may not bring up his children and he didn't want this judge bringing up his children, neither did he want to bring up the judges children. Well, sorry to say this but I disagree with my friends attitude on this. If we as a society don't make some effort to regulate our own behaviour then some one else has got to take responsibility for it and force us to act and conduct ourselves in a reasonable manner. Just the word Cocaine Energy Drink sends out all the wrong messages. It is as though the marketers are saying that Cocaine or the consumption there of is acceptable, which it clearly is not. Here in Australia there is a speed limit out side of schools of 40kph or 25 mph. People refuse to obey that limit. They basically tell the authorities to go jump. No matter how large the fines people still refuse. They literally don't care! Those speed limits are there for a very good reason. But the people literally don't care. they are going to do what they are going to do no matter what. So the authorities have place speed humps which reduce the speed of vehicles to 20km. Now the people have no option but to slow down. I think it is sad and says a lot for the society we live in that people must be forced to do the right thing. Isn't that terrible? Why has the judged baned the drink? Simply because common sense is not prevailing. If people refuse to regulate and protect themselves then some one has got to.
Actually if I was truthful I would say I am bored with church, full stop. There it is I have said it. But I am fed up with the show that is put on in churches that is supposed to worship and all that. Yes, I know Hebrews 10:24-25. For those of you who don't go read it. But for those of you who do, let me say that if the drivel that is put up purporting to be a worship service is all there is then quite frankly I think it is just entertainment and totally an utterly boring! We tell Michele that we go to church to sing songs to Jesus, talk to Jesus and have Jesus talk to us. I wonder if Jesus really likes the songs we sing. Some how I doubt it. I mean He hears the same old bits thirty thousand times each and every weekend. Imagine half the universe doing that to you every weekend. You'd get pretty bored pretty quick. Especially if most of the people really didn't mean what they sang, which most don't. Then we go to talk to Jesus. No, we don't! Some one else tells Jesus what they think we want them to say. Then lastly, and usually least, Jesus talks to us. No He doesn't. When was the last time a preacher actually sat down and asked Christ what His message was for the people at that time! Perhaps you are a preacher who is reading this. Well, I dare you to message me and tell me how long you spend seeking Christ as to what His message is for the people in your congregation this weekend! And I don't mean time spent consulting the many concordances and encyclopedias or different versions of the Bible you have. Or the amount of time spent working out what Mr Calvin or whoever your preferred view of theology might be. I know we are to defend the faith. I am not talking about that. I mean time spend growing corns on your knees with sweat from your brow and your eyes red with the tears you have shed over your congregation. Paul said he travailed like a woman in birth pains over the churches he had started.
Now for my next subject. I read about this in a friends blog. A Judge in Texas has moved to ban a drink called Cocaine Energy drink or something like that. Any way the fellow said in his blog that he didn't want some judge telling him what he may or may not do or how he may or may not bring up his children and he didn't want this judge bringing up his children, neither did he want to bring up the judges children. Well, sorry to say this but I disagree with my friends attitude on this. If we as a society don't make some effort to regulate our own behaviour then some one else has got to take responsibility for it and force us to act and conduct ourselves in a reasonable manner. Just the word Cocaine Energy Drink sends out all the wrong messages. It is as though the marketers are saying that Cocaine or the consumption there of is acceptable, which it clearly is not. Here in Australia there is a speed limit out side of schools of 40kph or 25 mph. People refuse to obey that limit. They basically tell the authorities to go jump. No matter how large the fines people still refuse. They literally don't care! Those speed limits are there for a very good reason. But the people literally don't care. they are going to do what they are going to do no matter what. So the authorities have place speed humps which reduce the speed of vehicles to 20km. Now the people have no option but to slow down. I think it is sad and says a lot for the society we live in that people must be forced to do the right thing. Isn't that terrible? Why has the judged baned the drink? Simply because common sense is not prevailing. If people refuse to regulate and protect themselves then some one has got to.
Saturday, 23 June 2007
Saturday 23rd June 2007
Michele is progressing quite well. It took her 3 days to get as sick as she got and I guess it will take that long and maybe a bit to get completely better. She is still a bit sassy but that will improve as we are consistent with her. Something that Mrs Manager said made perfect sense. We should always talk to the children in a conversational volume voice. If we raise our voices too often then they will only respond when spoken to in that manner. Alas we have been guilty of that. Back to Michele. She isn't up to raspberry's or tickling or the like yet. Still wants lots of TLC.
What else. Well home wise it was a bit of a waist. I had to start work at 0900 and that meant leaving here at 0730 to catch a 0752 train to be in town at 0857. Then it was back here at 1815, which for those of you who don't understand a 24 hour clock is 1/4 past 6 in the evening. I prefer early or late shift. Day shift is an utter waist of a day. I mean what can you do with the family if your at work? Precisely nothing. At least with early or late shift one has best part of the day at home. Enough of that belly ache. Work was most noted for its mundaneness. Is that a word? Well, it is now. I did have a run to Lilydale and that was nice. Lilydale is one of the outer suburbs of Melbourne. I don't get up there much these days. Bit of a pity really. Julian Dunham is the pastor of the Lilydale Baptist. We sat under his teaching when he was at MBC, now known as New Peninsula. Funny how people has different discernment about pastors. MBC had a senior pastor, Dale Stephenson and an Associate pastor, Julian Dunham. It's grown a bit since we left and now has lots of pastors. I think there may be a pastors pastor now. Anyway, Julian was supposed to be the evangelist and Dale the teacher. In reality it was the other way around. Julian was and is an excellent Bible expositor whilst Dale is the evangelist. I like them both. They made an excellent team. Julian was the pastor who did our marriage. We have always promised that we would go visit up there one day. We have never got around to it. I don't think Julian even knows about Michele, much less Cathy. Have a look here http://lb.org.au/index.php
Enough for now. Keep well and speak to the Lord!
What else. Well home wise it was a bit of a waist. I had to start work at 0900 and that meant leaving here at 0730 to catch a 0752 train to be in town at 0857. Then it was back here at 1815, which for those of you who don't understand a 24 hour clock is 1/4 past 6 in the evening. I prefer early or late shift. Day shift is an utter waist of a day. I mean what can you do with the family if your at work? Precisely nothing. At least with early or late shift one has best part of the day at home. Enough of that belly ache. Work was most noted for its mundaneness. Is that a word? Well, it is now. I did have a run to Lilydale and that was nice. Lilydale is one of the outer suburbs of Melbourne. I don't get up there much these days. Bit of a pity really. Julian Dunham is the pastor of the Lilydale Baptist. We sat under his teaching when he was at MBC, now known as New Peninsula. Funny how people has different discernment about pastors. MBC had a senior pastor, Dale Stephenson and an Associate pastor, Julian Dunham. It's grown a bit since we left and now has lots of pastors. I think there may be a pastors pastor now. Anyway, Julian was supposed to be the evangelist and Dale the teacher. In reality it was the other way around. Julian was and is an excellent Bible expositor whilst Dale is the evangelist. I like them both. They made an excellent team. Julian was the pastor who did our marriage. We have always promised that we would go visit up there one day. We have never got around to it. I don't think Julian even knows about Michele, much less Cathy. Have a look here http://lb.org.au/index.php
Enough for now. Keep well and speak to the Lord!
Friday, 22 June 2007
This is the day......
First I got to get this of my chest. Some one asked me where I got the quote about my age. I got it from my dad. He died one week short of his 73rd birthday.
Enough of that.
We have had one of those days. Michele got worse and we finished up at the hospital all day. Turned out to be gastric enteritis. She did get a little dehydrated, but they did say considering how long she had been unable to keep anything in, that she was in good condition and had weathered it well. They said she must eat healthy food coz they see kids with the same condition who live on "junk" food who don't do near as well and who finish up more ill than she was. I spent the day praying. Steph spent the day at the hospital with the 2 girls. However, prayers have been answered and she is fine.
One thing did show up though. We have a lot more work to do with her training. She refused to do half what they wanted her to do and was quite naughty. Including putting water in the potty when they asked her to pee. And then lied about it. She would do what Steph told her and the hospital soon woke up that you don't ask Michele "would you like to do this", you tell her she is going to do it. You see we don't ask her if she would like to, we tell her plain and simple and she does it most time without augment. We also use please and thank you. Yes, I know she was sick and all that, but if she is well enough to monkey around then she is well enough to follow a simple instruction no matter what.
Enough of that.
We have had one of those days. Michele got worse and we finished up at the hospital all day. Turned out to be gastric enteritis. She did get a little dehydrated, but they did say considering how long she had been unable to keep anything in, that she was in good condition and had weathered it well. They said she must eat healthy food coz they see kids with the same condition who live on "junk" food who don't do near as well and who finish up more ill than she was. I spent the day praying. Steph spent the day at the hospital with the 2 girls. However, prayers have been answered and she is fine.
One thing did show up though. We have a lot more work to do with her training. She refused to do half what they wanted her to do and was quite naughty. Including putting water in the potty when they asked her to pee. And then lied about it. She would do what Steph told her and the hospital soon woke up that you don't ask Michele "would you like to do this", you tell her she is going to do it. You see we don't ask her if she would like to, we tell her plain and simple and she does it most time without augment. We also use please and thank you. Yes, I know she was sick and all that, but if she is well enough to monkey around then she is well enough to follow a simple instruction no matter what.
Thursday, 21 June 2007
Thursday 20th June 2007 Ezekiel 29
We are not bunch of happy campers today. Michele is in bed with some wort of virus. Don't know what it is. She cant keep anything down, but at the same time doesn't appear to be dehydrated. All she wants to do is sleep. So we got some re-hydration mixture from the chemist and let her sleep. She seems quite happy except for a temperature and a snotty nose. Stephanie has cauliflower last night at meal time and now Cathy is grumpy. We thought maybe she would improve. But, no, it's business as usual. I would like to think that Cathy is the exception to the rule when it comes to breastfeeding blues. Michele wasn't breastfed, so we had no inkling of what would happen with Cathy until we got her home and she was seriously cranky all the time except for feeding and sleeping. This was not a happy house. Then we found out about foods that mum eats that will affect the baby through the breast milk. Of course they don't tell you that at the breastfeeding class. It's all roses in the garden, breast is best and all that. Breast is best. There is no doubt about that, Cathy is living proof. However she has been a nightmare so far as what Steph can and cannot eat. There is a whole range of foods that will affect the baby through the milk, or rather can. Reader beware. And all the breastfeeding, advocates tell the mothers plainly and don't gloss over what is a serious issue for mother and child.
There! That's my belly aching out of the road.
This afternoon Mrs Manager decided to have a shower. Cathy was awake and I decided it was time for some serious Dad and Daughter stuff. You know, the sort that 16 week old daughters and Dads engage in when mothers are not there to tell them they can't. That's the best time. First it was a raspberry blowing competition which I won. Cathy is still learning. Am I in trouble when she catches on. That was followed by a competition to see who could stick there tongue out furthest. I won that one too. That was followed by a competition to see who could fit their fist into their mouth. Well, I lost that one. Cathy does that with ease. Mind you, there are lots of things that go into a 16 week old's mouth. But, we will leave that one alone, wont we. Then it was time for a little training. Legs up, she is still catching on to that. Followed by legs down, she is really good at that one. It is amazing to watch her concentrate while I work with her. That brings me to another thing I read this last week. I read about a 19 month old who helps his dad at work. The young fellow can tell sizes and types of nails. Also what a hammer is and so on. I actually like reading the web site concerned. Mr Pearl suggest, not in so many words, that if you have to swat then your doing something wrong. He doesn't literally say that. But that is what is implied. He does hold with swatting if need be and spends some time talking about just that. But I sort of get the idea that really it is the parents who need their heads read. I agree with him. He says that training should begin 12 months before the first birthday. I agree. Michele is living proof. We didn't and now she is paying for our mistakes. He says examine your motives. Why are you doing what your doing. He says train train train and when your done train again. Is the kid whinging, then why did it get that far in the first place. Never leave the kid alone. Even when you not training the child you are.
Back to Miss Cathy and me. Next on the agenda was a visit to the shower room. After all by this time Mrs Manager had been in there a while. We proceeded on a tour of the bathroom, giving the young lady and in-depth description of everything therein and it's intended use. By that time it was time for Mrs Manager to get out and me to get in. This ended the session with Cathy. I do so enjoy our little times together. She really is just the best kid and even better she hasn't woken up to what and idiot her Dad sometimes is. Even Michele still thinks I am a hero. I will enjoy for while it lasts.
Today's Bible reading from St Luke's is Ezekiel 29. This is God's judgement on Egypt. What was Pharaoh's mistake? Verse 3. He set himself above God. Oops! He didn't ought to do that. That was not a good career move. Look at Isaiah 14:13. But wait. Let us not get to self righteous here. Do we not also do the same from time to time? You don't? Oh. I wouldn't call you a lier. No, it's just that I have a hard time believing you. Is God first in your life? No? Then He ought to be. Even those of us who do place Him first are as guilty sometimes as Pharaoh, much more so those who don't. As creator He is entitled to first place in everything we do. Mind you, those of us who do are guilty or the more so.
There! That's my belly aching out of the road.
This afternoon Mrs Manager decided to have a shower. Cathy was awake and I decided it was time for some serious Dad and Daughter stuff. You know, the sort that 16 week old daughters and Dads engage in when mothers are not there to tell them they can't. That's the best time. First it was a raspberry blowing competition which I won. Cathy is still learning. Am I in trouble when she catches on. That was followed by a competition to see who could stick there tongue out furthest. I won that one too. That was followed by a competition to see who could fit their fist into their mouth. Well, I lost that one. Cathy does that with ease. Mind you, there are lots of things that go into a 16 week old's mouth. But, we will leave that one alone, wont we. Then it was time for a little training. Legs up, she is still catching on to that. Followed by legs down, she is really good at that one. It is amazing to watch her concentrate while I work with her. That brings me to another thing I read this last week. I read about a 19 month old who helps his dad at work. The young fellow can tell sizes and types of nails. Also what a hammer is and so on. I actually like reading the web site concerned. Mr Pearl suggest, not in so many words, that if you have to swat then your doing something wrong. He doesn't literally say that. But that is what is implied. He does hold with swatting if need be and spends some time talking about just that. But I sort of get the idea that really it is the parents who need their heads read. I agree with him. He says that training should begin 12 months before the first birthday. I agree. Michele is living proof. We didn't and now she is paying for our mistakes. He says examine your motives. Why are you doing what your doing. He says train train train and when your done train again. Is the kid whinging, then why did it get that far in the first place. Never leave the kid alone. Even when you not training the child you are.
Back to Miss Cathy and me. Next on the agenda was a visit to the shower room. After all by this time Mrs Manager had been in there a while. We proceeded on a tour of the bathroom, giving the young lady and in-depth description of everything therein and it's intended use. By that time it was time for Mrs Manager to get out and me to get in. This ended the session with Cathy. I do so enjoy our little times together. She really is just the best kid and even better she hasn't woken up to what and idiot her Dad sometimes is. Even Michele still thinks I am a hero. I will enjoy for while it lasts.
Today's Bible reading from St Luke's is Ezekiel 29. This is God's judgement on Egypt. What was Pharaoh's mistake? Verse 3. He set himself above God. Oops! He didn't ought to do that. That was not a good career move. Look at Isaiah 14:13. But wait. Let us not get to self righteous here. Do we not also do the same from time to time? You don't? Oh. I wouldn't call you a lier. No, it's just that I have a hard time believing you. Is God first in your life? No? Then He ought to be. Even those of us who do place Him first are as guilty sometimes as Pharaoh, much more so those who don't. As creator He is entitled to first place in everything we do. Mind you, those of us who do are guilty or the more so.
Tuesday, 19 June 2007
I did! Tuesday 19th June 2007
I had the most boring day today. It was capital B Boring! Well at work I did. I sat around all day on my rear end doing precisely ---- wait for it------ nothing! I did have a run to Frankston and then was supposed to sit on a train for a few hours in case it was needed then travel home. Well, the train I was supposed to sit on was AWOL hence the boredom! I did get to talk to a few people at work and I did get to organise my bookmarks on my pocket PC. Then I travelled home.
Home was fine. Michele swamped me the minute I walked in the back door with her day at preschool and Cathy? Well she slept. I resisted the urge to blow a big fat raspberry on her. The look from Mrs Manager was enough to discourage any idea of that nature. On the Cathy front, she can now giggle quite well. It doesn't happen very often as yet but it do happen! Next week is her 16 week check up even though she is 16 week old today. Which I might add today is Tuesday in Australia not Monday as this silly blogspot would claim.
Today's Bible reading from St Luke's is Ezekiel chapter 27. Very similar to yesterday in so much as God is now judging the nations who had plundered and pillaged Israel. I actually find it quite interesting that God would operate in this way. But when one thinks on it, it makes perfect sense. Israel stuffs up, God takes His hand off Israel, the nations around her seize their opportunity and plunder. It's not what they do, but how they do it. I believe they are, up to a point, doing what God wants. Trouble is they go overboard. And therein lays the problem.
Tomorrow at St Luke's look at Ezekiel 28:11 to the end. Cross reference this with Isaiah 14:12 onward. It sure do make interesting reading.
Home was fine. Michele swamped me the minute I walked in the back door with her day at preschool and Cathy? Well she slept. I resisted the urge to blow a big fat raspberry on her. The look from Mrs Manager was enough to discourage any idea of that nature. On the Cathy front, she can now giggle quite well. It doesn't happen very often as yet but it do happen! Next week is her 16 week check up even though she is 16 week old today. Which I might add today is Tuesday in Australia not Monday as this silly blogspot would claim.
Today's Bible reading from St Luke's is Ezekiel chapter 27. Very similar to yesterday in so much as God is now judging the nations who had plundered and pillaged Israel. I actually find it quite interesting that God would operate in this way. But when one thinks on it, it makes perfect sense. Israel stuffs up, God takes His hand off Israel, the nations around her seize their opportunity and plunder. It's not what they do, but how they do it. I believe they are, up to a point, doing what God wants. Trouble is they go overboard. And therein lays the problem.
Tomorrow at St Luke's look at Ezekiel 28:11 to the end. Cross reference this with Isaiah 14:12 onward. It sure do make interesting reading.
Monday, 18 June 2007
Death
The life Christ lived qualified Him for the death He died. The death He died qualified you for the life you can have in Him. The in working of Him should be evidenced by the outworking in you life.
It's not that you can't sin; it's that you can not sin.
There, I really wanted to get that off my chest.
I saw another today that really cranked me up. It was on a friends web site. This is the story. Christ has died for us in our place. He has died that we don't have to. But that death has no effect until we make it so. This is what Watchman Nee has said. He is correct. Reckon yourself dead. Account it so. Make it your own. What is faith? Look at Hebrews 11:1. The death has no effect at all until you maker it that way. One day it hits you like a blinding flash. Jesus died in my place. No He didn't. I did. That was me on the cross. My sin. But yes He did die in my place. I died with and in Him. His death, in effect, becomes my death. Look at Galatians 2:20. I will quote it here.
Galatians 2:20 (King James Version)I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Now I am going to paraphrase it.
Galatians 2:20 (King James Version) Stanley is crucified with Christ: nevertheless Stanley lives; yet not Stanley, but Christ lives in Stanley: and the life which Stanley now lives in the flesh Stanley lives by the faith of the Son of God, who loved Stanley, and gave himself for Stanley.
Look at this:
Hebrews 11:1Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Let me paraphrase that one a bit.
Hebrews 11:1. Faith is the substance of something that we are utterly, within our hearts and have unexplainable knowledge of things hoped for even though we don't see and evidence of yet we know. We can't explain why, we just do.
My friend talks about baptism a bit. Baptism is our witness to a fact that has already occurred. Nothing more and nothing less. Even though John the Baptist didn't understand when he did it, Jesus baptism was absolutely essential. Jesus was baring witness also. John the Baptist was qualified to baptise Jesus. John the Baptist was helping Jesus to bare witness to a fact. You don't agree with me? I am shocked. Absolutely shocked. John 14:7-11. It's here: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2014:7-11;&version=50;
And I invite your comment.
It's not that you can't sin; it's that you can not sin.
There, I really wanted to get that off my chest.
I saw another today that really cranked me up. It was on a friends web site. This is the story. Christ has died for us in our place. He has died that we don't have to. But that death has no effect until we make it so. This is what Watchman Nee has said. He is correct. Reckon yourself dead. Account it so. Make it your own. What is faith? Look at Hebrews 11:1. The death has no effect at all until you maker it that way. One day it hits you like a blinding flash. Jesus died in my place. No He didn't. I did. That was me on the cross. My sin. But yes He did die in my place. I died with and in Him. His death, in effect, becomes my death. Look at Galatians 2:20. I will quote it here.
Galatians 2:20 (King James Version)I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Now I am going to paraphrase it.
Galatians 2:20 (King James Version) Stanley is crucified with Christ: nevertheless Stanley lives; yet not Stanley, but Christ lives in Stanley: and the life which Stanley now lives in the flesh Stanley lives by the faith of the Son of God, who loved Stanley, and gave himself for Stanley.
Look at this:
Hebrews 11:1Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Let me paraphrase that one a bit.
Hebrews 11:1. Faith is the substance of something that we are utterly, within our hearts and have unexplainable knowledge of things hoped for even though we don't see and evidence of yet we know. We can't explain why, we just do.
My friend talks about baptism a bit. Baptism is our witness to a fact that has already occurred. Nothing more and nothing less. Even though John the Baptist didn't understand when he did it, Jesus baptism was absolutely essential. Jesus was baring witness also. John the Baptist was qualified to baptise Jesus. John the Baptist was helping Jesus to bare witness to a fact. You don't agree with me? I am shocked. Absolutely shocked. John 14:7-11. It's here: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2014:7-11;&version=50;
And I invite your comment.
Friday, 15 June 2007
Extra, extra, read all about it.
After four years I have finally got around to it. Yes, I know it is hard to believe but I have finally done it. The wife is still recovering from the shock and the daughter can't believe it either. The dog has gone into hiding and the neighbours are speechless! What more can I say. Now we all know women can take a long time to do something. I mean, really, they do live up to their description of being a bit of spaghetti. But, no, I didn't start a job and take 4 years to complete it. No not I. I just didn't start it in the first place. Mind you, when I did it was all over bar the shouting in 5 minutes flat.
"And what was it that you did after 4 years" did I hear you say? Well, I am glad you asked. But first make sure you are sitting. Your sitting down? Good! Drum roll please..............
After 4 years and 4 months I have finally fixed the garage door so I can open the door from the outside, and with a key, would you mind. yes, with a key even. Isn't that good?
Quotable quote: Said, in an almost inaudible whisper by a certain young lady who has something in her mouth which she clearly doesn't like but soldiers bravely on "I don't weelly like dis vewy much eva."
"And what was it that you did after 4 years" did I hear you say? Well, I am glad you asked. But first make sure you are sitting. Your sitting down? Good! Drum roll please..............
After 4 years and 4 months I have finally fixed the garage door so I can open the door from the outside, and with a key, would you mind. yes, with a key even. Isn't that good?
Quotable quote: Said, in an almost inaudible whisper by a certain young lady who has something in her mouth which she clearly doesn't like but soldiers bravely on "I don't weelly like dis vewy much eva."
Thursday, 14 June 2007
I am allowed to have....
.....a tongue poking competition with Catherine. Yes, I am. We did, at 8 am this morning. I won, coz I am bigger. Although if one measures proportionate to weight then Catherine did coz she is littler than I am and in proportion to her sizer her tongue came out further. It took the entire time that it took for Stephanie and Michele to eat their breakfast for me to change a diaper! But it was fun. Lots of fun. She hasn't quite got the giggling or laughing thing really going yet but she is trying.
Today was my day at preschool. This entails helping the teachers to manage the children and preparing the snacks and then clean up after. Whilst the children have their snack the helpers serve either milk or water. The only snacks allowed are fruit. One of the boys has allergies so bad it is really hard. The last thing done before we head for preschool is to wash hands and face and comb hair. He is a really great kid and I have worked with his mum at the preschool in the past. Strange how the nicest kids have the worst problems.
I had a chat with the teachers today and they are very happy with Michele's progress. She pretty well did her own thing at the beginning of the year but now joins in with all group activities. This is a big step forward. She would always do the activities but not at preschool. She would do them when she got home. Very frustrating for the teachers until we explained we also have that problem. That made a world of difference.
There are couple of things I like about the preschool. Michele gets to interact with a bunch of kids her own age. She is not the only kid on the block and this teaches her practically. The second is that the teachers back up what we are teaching Michele at home. This is excellent. I would not like it if she were to encounter a double standard. That makes it hard on her and us.
Mrs Manager finally got her hair cut today. After much to-ing and fro-ing we bit the bullet, gave up on the original hair dresser and went to the hub. The girls and I went looking for a garage door handle, more on that later, whilst Steph got her hair done. It do look much more betterer. And the colour has come out much more as well. The previous hair dresser had but some colour in but it didn't really show. Now it does and I think it looks quite nice. Stephanie likes the idea of having her hair with tip colours and I like the look. Two very happy people.
I mentioned earlier about the garage door handle. It has been a pain ever since we bought this place 4 year ago. I had always intended to do something about it but didn't. Well last night I got home at 1 am from work. I had to wait for the motor to warm up to thaw out the ice on the windscreen before I could drive home. I found out later it was 1 degree C. I decided to put car in garage. But it is interesting. I can't open the garage door from the outside, so I have to use the small door to go in then open the big door from inside. That is not funny at 1 am in the morning when one is tired and all one wants to do is get inside where it is warm and get into bed beside the hot water bottle, alias Catherine. Tomorrow it is of to Bunnings to look for a new handle.
Quotable quotes:
"I really need to remind you to do this."
"I tried some of that and I decided it is really quite nice." when she actually doesn't like that particular food at all!
Today was my day at preschool. This entails helping the teachers to manage the children and preparing the snacks and then clean up after. Whilst the children have their snack the helpers serve either milk or water. The only snacks allowed are fruit. One of the boys has allergies so bad it is really hard. The last thing done before we head for preschool is to wash hands and face and comb hair. He is a really great kid and I have worked with his mum at the preschool in the past. Strange how the nicest kids have the worst problems.
I had a chat with the teachers today and they are very happy with Michele's progress. She pretty well did her own thing at the beginning of the year but now joins in with all group activities. This is a big step forward. She would always do the activities but not at preschool. She would do them when she got home. Very frustrating for the teachers until we explained we also have that problem. That made a world of difference.
There are couple of things I like about the preschool. Michele gets to interact with a bunch of kids her own age. She is not the only kid on the block and this teaches her practically. The second is that the teachers back up what we are teaching Michele at home. This is excellent. I would not like it if she were to encounter a double standard. That makes it hard on her and us.
Mrs Manager finally got her hair cut today. After much to-ing and fro-ing we bit the bullet, gave up on the original hair dresser and went to the hub. The girls and I went looking for a garage door handle, more on that later, whilst Steph got her hair done. It do look much more betterer. And the colour has come out much more as well. The previous hair dresser had but some colour in but it didn't really show. Now it does and I think it looks quite nice. Stephanie likes the idea of having her hair with tip colours and I like the look. Two very happy people.
I mentioned earlier about the garage door handle. It has been a pain ever since we bought this place 4 year ago. I had always intended to do something about it but didn't. Well last night I got home at 1 am from work. I had to wait for the motor to warm up to thaw out the ice on the windscreen before I could drive home. I found out later it was 1 degree C. I decided to put car in garage. But it is interesting. I can't open the garage door from the outside, so I have to use the small door to go in then open the big door from inside. That is not funny at 1 am in the morning when one is tired and all one wants to do is get inside where it is warm and get into bed beside the hot water bottle, alias Catherine. Tomorrow it is of to Bunnings to look for a new handle.
Quotable quotes:
"I really need to remind you to do this."
"I tried some of that and I decided it is really quite nice." when she actually doesn't like that particular food at all!
Wednesday, 13 June 2007
Us!
OK, I give up. I can get an image in the little box next door but I can't get one in here. When I try this is what happens. Maybe it just might work, and it worked. What did I do? Well I just ticked the box. Oh, silly me.
Anyway, there you have it. The latest family portrait. Good looking crowd aren't we? I am the handsome one holding the baby.
Now, I have an announcement. I am no longer to call Mrs Boss Lady, Mrs Boss Lady. Stephanie shall hence forth be known as Mrs Manager. As in house manager. Oh, you don't know what I am talking about? Well, go here: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=proverbs%2031;&version=51;
That's my wife. So, Mrs Manager it shall be and happily at that. Tonight I must work. But today I have had fun. Michele to playgroup this morning. And it was refreshing to find another person there who has the same philosophy so far as raising children as we do.
What's the second most important thing in raising children? Why I am glad you asked. Training. You didn't hear? Training. There I told you again. The first is affection. Lots of loves and hugs and kisses and tickles and all that stuff. The stuff that drives Mrs Manager bonkers coz of all the noise.
The second is "training". And that doesn't mean you having a sore hand and the child having a blue bum! That's child abuse. So is the worse one. That is telling your child they are useless and will never amount to anything or even worse in my mind is when people tell their child to get out of their sight. That's real bad. That's mental abuse. The scares from physical abuse heal over time and are forgotten. The scares from mental abuse never heal. They are implanted in some dark recess of the mind to re-appear at the most inopportune time.
Training means to repeat the same task over and over again until the child gets it. Example:
We want Cathy to keep her legs down when we change a diaper. So, we gently hold her leg and place it down at the same time we say "Leg down." And she does. Come to Dad or mum, hold your arms out to the child and say the words at the same time. Over and over again, every time we pick Cathy up we do this. It is a game and she responds to it. Picking up her toys, we hold her when we do this. Eventually she will do it on her own. Hopefully it will be a natural transition from us doing it to her doing it.
We did the whole come to Mum thingy with Michele when she first started to crawl. Stephanie would be a metre or so away from Michele and would call Michele to come and when she did then Stephanie would make huge fuss of her. Over a period of time she extended the distance. It became so natural. We have done this in other areas of life as well. I just wish we had done more of it. It would have saved us a lot of heart ache later on. Would you believe our biggest headaches with Michele have been in the areas of reactionary parenting as opposed to areas where we have trained her. Oh, that we had known then what we know now! Mr Pearl was such a big help to us. Oh, that God had lead us to him sooner. Never mind we are there now and that is all that matters.
Today 13th June 2007
From St Luke's Bible reading plan for today. The Bible reading is Ezekiel chapter 22. You can read it here: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezekiel%2022&version=31;
verse 30 "I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none." That has got to be one of the saddest verses in the whole of the Bible! Now I know that the world as we know it has a finite time of existence. However, may I plead with Christ that He may show mercy. God is looking still for some one to stand in the gap, to be the watchman and plead with tears in his eyes and a rent heart, a burden for all the lost people, for all those who would and do injustice. There are hundreds of millions of people who will go to their grave without ever hearing the good news of Christ's love for them. There are millions of false prophets who claim to speak Christ word to the world and all they do is preach lies, may God have mercy on them. But at the same time it is watchmen and pleading men, and women, that God wants.
verse 30 "I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none." That has got to be one of the saddest verses in the whole of the Bible! Now I know that the world as we know it has a finite time of existence. However, may I plead with Christ that He may show mercy. God is looking still for some one to stand in the gap, to be the watchman and plead with tears in his eyes and a rent heart, a burden for all the lost people, for all those who would and do injustice. There are hundreds of millions of people who will go to their grave without ever hearing the good news of Christ's love for them. There are millions of false prophets who claim to speak Christ word to the world and all they do is preach lies, may God have mercy on them. But at the same time it is watchmen and pleading men, and women, that God wants.
Tuesday, 12 June 2007
Adelaide, March 2007
Some things should not be tried at 10:30 at night. Uploading photo's is one of those things. Maybe it is because I didn't get to be rude to the kidz before they went to bed.
Oh, an update on the case of the missing stick. It has been found. Yes, folks I am happy to report that the AWOL stick has been apprehended. Where? do I hear you say? Well, I am glad you asked. It was on the back seat of the car where Mrs Boss Lady left it.
Now that leads me to another interesting subject. The most frustrating, but fun thing, you can say to a blind person when they ask do you know where they left something is: Yes, it is where you left it, or over there! It is fun but for some weird reason they just fail to see the funny side of it!
Maybe I can record here our method of training kidz. Well, it's not our method really, just one we heard about, tried, and found it works.
Oh, an update on the case of the missing stick. It has been found. Yes, folks I am happy to report that the AWOL stick has been apprehended. Where? do I hear you say? Well, I am glad you asked. It was on the back seat of the car where Mrs Boss Lady left it.
Now that leads me to another interesting subject. The most frustrating, but fun thing, you can say to a blind person when they ask do you know where they left something is: Yes, it is where you left it, or over there! It is fun but for some weird reason they just fail to see the funny side of it!
Maybe I can record here our method of training kidz. Well, it's not our method really, just one we heard about, tried, and found it works.
Pandemonium around here
Yes, that's it. Pandemonium is the best way to describe it. Tuesdays in this house are flat out. Michele has preschool and Mrs Boss Lady has KYB. Preschool starts at 9:30 and KYB at 10 o'clock. On the weeks I am on late's I am the taxi. On the week I am on early KYB doesn't happen. It's too much of a rush. KYB doesn't finish until 11:15 and Michele finishes preschool at 11:30. It takes 20 minutes to get from KYB to preschool in good traffic.
Any way this morning was "interesting". Cathy, also known as DD2 amongst other things I am not permitted to say here, and I decided to play on the change table and the floor and Michele bed. Some people, the wife for example, take 5 minutes to change a diaper and dress a child. Not so this person. Well, I mean to say I ask you, how can possible have fun with a 14 week old in 5 minutes? It just isn't possible. First there is the mandatory conversation which goes on for at least 10 minutes. That is usually followed by a raspberry blowing competition. Of course then there is the coughing thingy. I do keep telling her that cough is not good. Sounds like she has been smoking and smoking is clearly not good for ones health. Of course hiccups are a sign of drinking and that is a sign of loose living. And that is just for starters. Then there is the training. Did I hear you say you can't train a 14 week old? Rubbish and balderdash! You can start training a 12 month old 12 months before their 1st birthday! And it pays off later. Training is the most important part of child rearing after blowing raspberries and discussion of generally, in the wife's opinion, of other equally useless rubbish. We have trained Cathy to keep her legs down. Yes, it has taken ages, but she can and will do it. She has to be constantly reminded each diaper change, although this morning all I did was ask her to put her legs down and she did it.
Now where was I? Oh, yes, our mad house. Well, while all this was going on, Michele and Mum had their breakfast. By the time Michele had finished her breakfast I had actually changed Cathy's diaper. However the appearance of Michele led to a tickling competition which resulted in much squealing on her part and many grumblings form the kitchen about people who take all day to do anything and then wonder why they never get anything done. Well eventually I did get Cathy dressed, Michele with her shoes and socks on and more tickling and blowing of raspberries and other thing. I take Michele to preschool and arrive home to find wifey in a flap because she has lost her cane, do I kn0w where it is "can you look here and there and everywhere all in 5 minutes coz the taxi will be here and I have to check on Cathy and did Michele get to preschool and how come your not helping there today coz they are short of a helper and where is my stick I can't find it any where!" Phew!
Well. Michele is at preschool, the wifey and Cathy are at KYB and here sit I typing this lot of dribble!
When I told Stephanie that I wasn't going to put my notes from yesterday's St Luke's Bible reading in here she said I should. One should always listen to the wife!
So, at her request:
Monday 11Th June 2007: Ezekiel 20
Key verse: verse 3. There comes a time when God says enough. A bit like a parent with an unruly child. There has to be a change. And sometimes isolation is the only answer. Note again verse 31. It says a similar thing. Look at verse 39. It also is important. Many are those who give up on the Old Testament because it is full of "doom and gloom". And in many ways it is very sad. A record of man's disobedience. But more importantly, it is a record of God's unfailing love to and for all of us. Are we, the Church, so different? We too have our "idols" of worship. We to some times refuse to "hear" what God is trying to tell us. At what point will God say to us "Enough!" As I sit here thinking on this verse it occurs to me that Israel's problem wasn't that they didn't/couldn't/wouldn't obey God. No, no, that is not the problem. You see, they are actually doing exactly what God knows they will do. No, their failure isn't in failing. Their failure is to fail to acknowledge that they can't obey God. We are exactly the same today. We can clean ourselves up on the outside, but only Christ can clean us up on the inside. And He does that by putting to death our old man and giving us Himself in place. First we have to admit that we can't and that only He can! "Old things pass away, behold, all things are new" or something like that. Some one care to post the correct verse?
Any way this morning was "interesting". Cathy, also known as DD2 amongst other things I am not permitted to say here, and I decided to play on the change table and the floor and Michele bed. Some people, the wife for example, take 5 minutes to change a diaper and dress a child. Not so this person. Well, I mean to say I ask you, how can possible have fun with a 14 week old in 5 minutes? It just isn't possible. First there is the mandatory conversation which goes on for at least 10 minutes. That is usually followed by a raspberry blowing competition. Of course then there is the coughing thingy. I do keep telling her that cough is not good. Sounds like she has been smoking and smoking is clearly not good for ones health. Of course hiccups are a sign of drinking and that is a sign of loose living. And that is just for starters. Then there is the training. Did I hear you say you can't train a 14 week old? Rubbish and balderdash! You can start training a 12 month old 12 months before their 1st birthday! And it pays off later. Training is the most important part of child rearing after blowing raspberries and discussion of generally, in the wife's opinion, of other equally useless rubbish. We have trained Cathy to keep her legs down. Yes, it has taken ages, but she can and will do it. She has to be constantly reminded each diaper change, although this morning all I did was ask her to put her legs down and she did it.
Now where was I? Oh, yes, our mad house. Well, while all this was going on, Michele and Mum had their breakfast. By the time Michele had finished her breakfast I had actually changed Cathy's diaper. However the appearance of Michele led to a tickling competition which resulted in much squealing on her part and many grumblings form the kitchen about people who take all day to do anything and then wonder why they never get anything done. Well eventually I did get Cathy dressed, Michele with her shoes and socks on and more tickling and blowing of raspberries and other thing. I take Michele to preschool and arrive home to find wifey in a flap because she has lost her cane, do I kn0w where it is "can you look here and there and everywhere all in 5 minutes coz the taxi will be here and I have to check on Cathy and did Michele get to preschool and how come your not helping there today coz they are short of a helper and where is my stick I can't find it any where!" Phew!
Well. Michele is at preschool, the wifey and Cathy are at KYB and here sit I typing this lot of dribble!
When I told Stephanie that I wasn't going to put my notes from yesterday's St Luke's Bible reading in here she said I should. One should always listen to the wife!
So, at her request:
Monday 11Th June 2007: Ezekiel 20
Key verse: verse 3. There comes a time when God says enough. A bit like a parent with an unruly child. There has to be a change. And sometimes isolation is the only answer. Note again verse 31. It says a similar thing. Look at verse 39. It also is important. Many are those who give up on the Old Testament because it is full of "doom and gloom". And in many ways it is very sad. A record of man's disobedience. But more importantly, it is a record of God's unfailing love to and for all of us. Are we, the Church, so different? We too have our "idols" of worship. We to some times refuse to "hear" what God is trying to tell us. At what point will God say to us "Enough!" As I sit here thinking on this verse it occurs to me that Israel's problem wasn't that they didn't/couldn't/wouldn't obey God. No, no, that is not the problem. You see, they are actually doing exactly what God knows they will do. No, their failure isn't in failing. Their failure is to fail to acknowledge that they can't obey God. We are exactly the same today. We can clean ourselves up on the outside, but only Christ can clean us up on the inside. And He does that by putting to death our old man and giving us Himself in place. First we have to admit that we can't and that only He can! "Old things pass away, behold, all things are new" or something like that. Some one care to post the correct verse?
Saturday, 9 June 2007
It's my forgetta
I was trying to remember what the web site is for our photo's this morning. I was at work and had a few minutes, well hours actually, to spare. I wanted to have a look at the site but couldn't remember where it was. And that was pure dribble. What follows isn't.
I was listening to the radio the other day. There was a lady talking who had been bought up in a religious home. Apparently she was the questioning type, but couldn't get answers as everyone kept telling her some things are not meant to be understood. What a load of baloney! Here is a young person seeking answers and some one fobs her off. I have no idea how her faith went as I got distracted. I think every one should ask questions. Blind faith is silly. I mean if some one said jump of this cliff and God will save you, I am sure you would question that. I know I certainly would. I think we should do our best to at least understand and make sense of what we believe. We aren't going to understand every we are told. However, we should at least try. Even though Michele is only 3, she also should have the courtesy shown when she asks questions.
This lady then went on to give an example. It was from Genesis chapter 4, and concerned the offerings that Cain and Abel bought to God. Abel bought the first fruits of his flock and Cain bought the first fruits of the ground. God has respect for Abel's offering, however not for Cain's offering. The motives of both men were good, but Cain lacked understanding. Let me unpack this a bit. Oh, if you want to go here http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%204&version=31 to read all about it.
OK, here we go. In Genesis 3 Adam and Eve had been naughty children and God passed His verdict on them and at the same time had clothed them in animal skins to cover their skin. Remember they had tried to cover their sin with fig leaves. That was their self effort. They weren't relying on God to save them. God gives them their first lesson. He covers their sin. It isn't something we can do for ourselves. We can sin, but we can't cover it or remove it. Eventually we will be caught out. At the same time, God had declared that the earth would be cursed for their sake and they would have to toil all their lives. In other words it would be their self effort that would be cursed. So, when Cain bought his offering from the ground he was offering God a curse and at the same time declaring his Independence from God and his intention to get by on his own self effort. To quote the words of a song "I did it my way." Abel on the other hand, acknowledged God's plan of redemption and bought God something that God had provided as a covering in the first place. The first fruit of Abel's flock was an expensive and gift or offering. It was also perfect. It had great value. Abel hadn't earned it by the sweat of his brow or self effort. His had done what God had told Adam to do. He tended what God had provided. Let me just quote Ephesians 2 verse 8 and 9. I am sure they will also help to clarify things even more.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.
I do hope that helps. It sounds complicated at times but one thing I have found. God is usually logical. We just need to spend a little time in thought.
I was listening to the radio the other day. There was a lady talking who had been bought up in a religious home. Apparently she was the questioning type, but couldn't get answers as everyone kept telling her some things are not meant to be understood. What a load of baloney! Here is a young person seeking answers and some one fobs her off. I have no idea how her faith went as I got distracted. I think every one should ask questions. Blind faith is silly. I mean if some one said jump of this cliff and God will save you, I am sure you would question that. I know I certainly would. I think we should do our best to at least understand and make sense of what we believe. We aren't going to understand every we are told. However, we should at least try. Even though Michele is only 3, she also should have the courtesy shown when she asks questions.
This lady then went on to give an example. It was from Genesis chapter 4, and concerned the offerings that Cain and Abel bought to God. Abel bought the first fruits of his flock and Cain bought the first fruits of the ground. God has respect for Abel's offering, however not for Cain's offering. The motives of both men were good, but Cain lacked understanding. Let me unpack this a bit. Oh, if you want to go here http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%204&version=31 to read all about it.
OK, here we go. In Genesis 3 Adam and Eve had been naughty children and God passed His verdict on them and at the same time had clothed them in animal skins to cover their skin. Remember they had tried to cover their sin with fig leaves. That was their self effort. They weren't relying on God to save them. God gives them their first lesson. He covers their sin. It isn't something we can do for ourselves. We can sin, but we can't cover it or remove it. Eventually we will be caught out. At the same time, God had declared that the earth would be cursed for their sake and they would have to toil all their lives. In other words it would be their self effort that would be cursed. So, when Cain bought his offering from the ground he was offering God a curse and at the same time declaring his Independence from God and his intention to get by on his own self effort. To quote the words of a song "I did it my way." Abel on the other hand, acknowledged God's plan of redemption and bought God something that God had provided as a covering in the first place. The first fruit of Abel's flock was an expensive and gift or offering. It was also perfect. It had great value. Abel hadn't earned it by the sweat of his brow or self effort. His had done what God had told Adam to do. He tended what God had provided. Let me just quote Ephesians 2 verse 8 and 9. I am sure they will also help to clarify things even more.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.
I do hope that helps. It sounds complicated at times but one thing I have found. God is usually logical. We just need to spend a little time in thought.
Friday, 8 June 2007
This and that, and abita braggin
I am allowed to. Their my children and I can brag if I want to.
Catherine is laying on the floor behind me just now as she watches Michele play with Leggo and other toys. From time to time Michele will give her a kiss and endeavour to get Cathy to hold her finger or give her a toy. For her part Cathy goos and gars and does what all baby's do. Michele is back into her schooling again. There is an excellent web site that she adores. Well a number actually. But starfall.com is one of her favourites and she can get around it very well. Of course Play School is also another of her goodies. She is very good with the computer although, obviously, we don't leave her in here on her own. I mean at 3 she can hardly be expected to manage on her own. But she loves it all and "nags" us if we don't let her loose. We are also using "Hooked on Phonics". There is a computer CD that goes with it and she loves that as well. No, we don't do homeschooling as such. We don't do "unschooling" either. We just try to follow the lead of a very adventurous 3 year old who wants to have a go. And why not, it's not doing any harm. Same as we will let her have a go at vegy preparation and such. Her latest thing is the lawn mower. She has been at me for ages to buy her a lawn mower she can play with and I promised her I would. I must do that next time we are at Big W. Give the kids a go. We are big into modelling behaviour. That entails behaving the same way you want the child to. It can get interesting at times. For example today Michele was annoyed with Mummy. Telling her to smile only half fixes the problem. We want her to think nice thoughts about people. How to achieve that is the question. Well it's not as hard as it seems. If we have negative thoughts about some one the idea is to replace the negative with positive. So, we asked her to name some nice things that Mummy does for her that she likes. That very quickly changed the whole equation and we achieved more in two minutes than we had for a long time.
OK enough of the bragging. I still think they are the best. I turn around to find Cathy asleep on Mum.
Catherine is laying on the floor behind me just now as she watches Michele play with Leggo and other toys. From time to time Michele will give her a kiss and endeavour to get Cathy to hold her finger or give her a toy. For her part Cathy goos and gars and does what all baby's do. Michele is back into her schooling again. There is an excellent web site that she adores. Well a number actually. But starfall.com is one of her favourites and she can get around it very well. Of course Play School is also another of her goodies. She is very good with the computer although, obviously, we don't leave her in here on her own. I mean at 3 she can hardly be expected to manage on her own. But she loves it all and "nags" us if we don't let her loose. We are also using "Hooked on Phonics". There is a computer CD that goes with it and she loves that as well. No, we don't do homeschooling as such. We don't do "unschooling" either. We just try to follow the lead of a very adventurous 3 year old who wants to have a go. And why not, it's not doing any harm. Same as we will let her have a go at vegy preparation and such. Her latest thing is the lawn mower. She has been at me for ages to buy her a lawn mower she can play with and I promised her I would. I must do that next time we are at Big W. Give the kids a go. We are big into modelling behaviour. That entails behaving the same way you want the child to. It can get interesting at times. For example today Michele was annoyed with Mummy. Telling her to smile only half fixes the problem. We want her to think nice thoughts about people. How to achieve that is the question. Well it's not as hard as it seems. If we have negative thoughts about some one the idea is to replace the negative with positive. So, we asked her to name some nice things that Mummy does for her that she likes. That very quickly changed the whole equation and we achieved more in two minutes than we had for a long time.
OK enough of the bragging. I still think they are the best. I turn around to find Cathy asleep on Mum.
Thursday, 7 June 2007
"World out of control" by Archbishop Freier
Well, he got that bit right.
www.melbourne.anglican.com.au/media is the place to look. Dr Philip Freier, Archbishop of Melbourne intends to talk about this at Federation Square on 27Th June, with Hugh Evans, Director of Oaktree Foundation and Penelope Swales, international folk singer and activist. Now this is one talk I should like to attend. Can I? Will I?
Climate change and global poverty. Both big issues for our time. Is there an easy answer? No. In a word, no. Remember the cancel the debt campaign? Well, I was listening to News Radio this morning on the way home. Zambia was featured. That country's debt was cancelled by 90%. That's not bad. Conditions were attached. The report said the country was better of but still required some credit to get infrastructure up and running. The government still can't afford to employ the people it needs to staff schools and so on. Water is short. That is good quality drinking water. It told of a village where there was one well for the entire village. And the quality of the water was lousy. Now it appears that Zambia is doing well. Some countries aren't.
OK, so what is the biggest impediment to real and lasting change? In two words: Human Nature. Fallen man. No mater what we do, man is the problem. It takes only one greedy man. Look at Zimbabwe. 15 years ago it had a life expectancy of 60 years. What is it now? 37 for women, 34 for men. That's terrible. What caused it? One corrupt and power hungry man. And that's all it takes. One despot ruler in a country. Bit like a school yard bully gone wrong who makes every ones life a misery. And you can't beat it. Only Christ can and that only by His indwelling Holy Spirit in our lives. Until man is born again there is no hope.
The solutions are easy. Over simplified they amount to cancellation of foreign debt owed by poor nations and planting of trees. One fixes the financial problems of the nation, the other locks up carbon thereby reducing carbon in the atmosphere. Too simple isn't it. But that's what it amounts to. Trees not only reduce carbon in the atmosphere, they lower the water table and in the process reduce salinity, provide a renewable building resource and the list goes on. Add to that soil stabilisation. Do some research on soil erosion and salinity. In Australia, trees were completely cleared from paddocks. It was later found that soil salinity and soil erosion were reduced by leaving trees around the edge and in particular in the corners of the paddocks. In fact some farms that had severe erosion and salinity problems all that was needed to start the reversal of the problem was the re-planting of trees. Australia's ABC's "Landline" program is an excellent source of information on this. Have a look at the reduction of the size of the worlds rain forests.
Now trees wont completely fix global warming. But they are a start. Of course another sure fire way of reducing global warming is to reduce our dependence upon the burning of fossil fuels.
More on this later. It does make a change from bragging about my daughters, doesn't it?
www.melbourne.anglican.com.au/media is the place to look. Dr Philip Freier, Archbishop of Melbourne intends to talk about this at Federation Square on 27Th June, with Hugh Evans, Director of Oaktree Foundation and Penelope Swales, international folk singer and activist. Now this is one talk I should like to attend. Can I? Will I?
Climate change and global poverty. Both big issues for our time. Is there an easy answer? No. In a word, no. Remember the cancel the debt campaign? Well, I was listening to News Radio this morning on the way home. Zambia was featured. That country's debt was cancelled by 90%. That's not bad. Conditions were attached. The report said the country was better of but still required some credit to get infrastructure up and running. The government still can't afford to employ the people it needs to staff schools and so on. Water is short. That is good quality drinking water. It told of a village where there was one well for the entire village. And the quality of the water was lousy. Now it appears that Zambia is doing well. Some countries aren't.
OK, so what is the biggest impediment to real and lasting change? In two words: Human Nature. Fallen man. No mater what we do, man is the problem. It takes only one greedy man. Look at Zimbabwe. 15 years ago it had a life expectancy of 60 years. What is it now? 37 for women, 34 for men. That's terrible. What caused it? One corrupt and power hungry man. And that's all it takes. One despot ruler in a country. Bit like a school yard bully gone wrong who makes every ones life a misery. And you can't beat it. Only Christ can and that only by His indwelling Holy Spirit in our lives. Until man is born again there is no hope.
The solutions are easy. Over simplified they amount to cancellation of foreign debt owed by poor nations and planting of trees. One fixes the financial problems of the nation, the other locks up carbon thereby reducing carbon in the atmosphere. Too simple isn't it. But that's what it amounts to. Trees not only reduce carbon in the atmosphere, they lower the water table and in the process reduce salinity, provide a renewable building resource and the list goes on. Add to that soil stabilisation. Do some research on soil erosion and salinity. In Australia, trees were completely cleared from paddocks. It was later found that soil salinity and soil erosion were reduced by leaving trees around the edge and in particular in the corners of the paddocks. In fact some farms that had severe erosion and salinity problems all that was needed to start the reversal of the problem was the re-planting of trees. Australia's ABC's "Landline" program is an excellent source of information on this. Have a look at the reduction of the size of the worlds rain forests.
Now trees wont completely fix global warming. But they are a start. Of course another sure fire way of reducing global warming is to reduce our dependence upon the burning of fossil fuels.
More on this later. It does make a change from bragging about my daughters, doesn't it?
Wednesday, 6 June 2007
Oh, poo
No, I am not allowed to talk about you know what. So I wont.
What a 24 hours it has been! A train smash with a twist. All is not what it seems. But alas I am not at liberty to comment. The joys of being employed in the industry. Gagged!
Actually there was a few things I wanted to wax lyrical on and then all this happens. Oh, and the other news is that Melbourne's most wanted has turned up in Greece. He wasn't greasy (pardon the pun) enough to slip out of that one. Him and his girl friend. But wait, there's more. There is always more. Seems he managed to father a child, now 6 months old. The child may be Greek, Australian or state less. I will leave that one well alone. Actually I am amazed. I remember 12 months ago when the saga began commenting to Mrs Boss-lady that the said gentleman would never be found. I thought he would show up one day, well what was left of him at least, down a mine shaft or maybe wearing concrete pyjamas.
Of course the other big news in Mexico is drug dealing in schools and whether Mr and Mrs Plod should be informed and the offenders charged. Well of course they should be charged. And penalised. They have broken the law as well has contributed to the down fall of fellow students. What are we to do? Let drugs run amok? At the same time, I believe the offenders should be offered rehabilitation. Of course some of them wont take that offer. Oh, and should "do gooders" happened to read this tripe, on the same program it was admitted that young offenders who are let go finish up in our jails or worse still under a train.
On the subject of drugs and random test. It seems our esteemed law agency is against random drug testing of its members. Makes one wonder what they have to hide. I listen to a whole pile of double speak mixed with careful political clap trap on the way home this morning. Of course the subject came up as if a law enforcer was caught should he be dismissed from the force. That caused more side stepping the real issue. What's my egocentric opinion? Of course the person should be dismissed. On the instance. At the same time he also should be offered rehabilitation. Most wont take it of course.
That brings me to another pet peeve of mine. Clientele who hold doors open on trains thereby causing the train and their fellow passengers to be late. The simple fact of the matter is that they don't see they are doing any harm. For a train driver it is maddening. One wants to go back and put their head some place less than pleasant with a smell to match. Of course they can be fined. But that will do no good at all. They may or may not pay the fine, but it wont change their attitude one little bit. They will just be more vigilant to ensure they don't get caught. Of course if said train is late they will be the first to complain, usually to the driver.
Unless some one can see that what they are doing is wrong, there is no way they will change. And what's more it is pointless to try to get them to change.
I really want to comment on a couple of things but that can wait. But look out for my opinion, you may have an opinion also, on "The world seems to be spinning out of control. What can be done?" I had intended to write that one up but haven't got that far. The topic is the subject of Arch Bishops Freier's next Brunch conversation at the Federation Square. I think it is a good topic and one I would like to have a go at addressing. To find out more go here: www.melbourne.anglican.com.au Apparently he wants to "discuss possible solutions to the biggest issues facing our planet - global warming and global poverty." Both are so easy and yet so hard to fix. I would like to go to this brunch. If I am off I will try to. By the way it is possible to listen to the previous talks. They are good. It's not all spiritual and practical ways of change are talked about. This guy is not so heavenly minded to be of no earthly use.
What a 24 hours it has been! A train smash with a twist. All is not what it seems. But alas I am not at liberty to comment. The joys of being employed in the industry. Gagged!
Actually there was a few things I wanted to wax lyrical on and then all this happens. Oh, and the other news is that Melbourne's most wanted has turned up in Greece. He wasn't greasy (pardon the pun) enough to slip out of that one. Him and his girl friend. But wait, there's more. There is always more. Seems he managed to father a child, now 6 months old. The child may be Greek, Australian or state less. I will leave that one well alone. Actually I am amazed. I remember 12 months ago when the saga began commenting to Mrs Boss-lady that the said gentleman would never be found. I thought he would show up one day, well what was left of him at least, down a mine shaft or maybe wearing concrete pyjamas.
Of course the other big news in Mexico is drug dealing in schools and whether Mr and Mrs Plod should be informed and the offenders charged. Well of course they should be charged. And penalised. They have broken the law as well has contributed to the down fall of fellow students. What are we to do? Let drugs run amok? At the same time, I believe the offenders should be offered rehabilitation. Of course some of them wont take that offer. Oh, and should "do gooders" happened to read this tripe, on the same program it was admitted that young offenders who are let go finish up in our jails or worse still under a train.
On the subject of drugs and random test. It seems our esteemed law agency is against random drug testing of its members. Makes one wonder what they have to hide. I listen to a whole pile of double speak mixed with careful political clap trap on the way home this morning. Of course the subject came up as if a law enforcer was caught should he be dismissed from the force. That caused more side stepping the real issue. What's my egocentric opinion? Of course the person should be dismissed. On the instance. At the same time he also should be offered rehabilitation. Most wont take it of course.
That brings me to another pet peeve of mine. Clientele who hold doors open on trains thereby causing the train and their fellow passengers to be late. The simple fact of the matter is that they don't see they are doing any harm. For a train driver it is maddening. One wants to go back and put their head some place less than pleasant with a smell to match. Of course they can be fined. But that will do no good at all. They may or may not pay the fine, but it wont change their attitude one little bit. They will just be more vigilant to ensure they don't get caught. Of course if said train is late they will be the first to complain, usually to the driver.
Unless some one can see that what they are doing is wrong, there is no way they will change. And what's more it is pointless to try to get them to change.
I really want to comment on a couple of things but that can wait. But look out for my opinion, you may have an opinion also, on "The world seems to be spinning out of control. What can be done?" I had intended to write that one up but haven't got that far. The topic is the subject of Arch Bishops Freier's next Brunch conversation at the Federation Square. I think it is a good topic and one I would like to have a go at addressing. To find out more go here: www.melbourne.anglican.com.au Apparently he wants to "discuss possible solutions to the biggest issues facing our planet - global warming and global poverty." Both are so easy and yet so hard to fix. I would like to go to this brunch. If I am off I will try to. By the way it is possible to listen to the previous talks. They are good. It's not all spiritual and practical ways of change are talked about. This guy is not so heavenly minded to be of no earthly use.
Monday, 4 June 2007
It had to happen.....
Today we are getting the veggies ready for dinner. Miss Independent, alias Michele, decides to peel the sweet potatoes and slice the beans. Yes, we have a bean slicer. Twice she slipped with the potato peeler. First time, no harm done except a bruised ego. Dad's ego that is! Second time it was more serious. She actually cut her self bad enough to need a band aid and some TLC from daddy. You see we believe in letting her have a go. If she wants to have a go then let her have a go. All too often children are told to go play with their toys. This goes on for years. Then all of a sudden, one day, we "expect" them to be able to do everything and do it correctly. Mean while, when they actually wanted to help we pushed them away. So, she fell of a chair, and she has now cut herself with a potato peeler. Big deal. She will get over it and so will we.
Mean while, whilst all this is going on Catherine is sleeping her head off, waiting and planning her next move, like how can I catch Mummy out when changing a nappy and poo at the " right time".
Oh, by the way, did I tell you I am your worst nightmare. I am passionate about my kids. I love them to bits and can't get enough time with them. I am your typically boring bragging egocentric dad. You know, the one with the camera and tape recorder and a memory like an elephant.
I like the wife, Mrs Bossman. I loved her when I married her, now I not only love her, I respect her. She is the most amazing creature where the kids are involved. Left to herself she can tell you on the instant what is the matter with one of our children. I get the manual out. Not so Mrs Bossman. She just knows! And what is more, she can't understand why I don't. But that's life.
OK, enough for now.
Mean while, whilst all this is going on Catherine is sleeping her head off, waiting and planning her next move, like how can I catch Mummy out when changing a nappy and poo at the " right time".
Oh, by the way, did I tell you I am your worst nightmare. I am passionate about my kids. I love them to bits and can't get enough time with them. I am your typically boring bragging egocentric dad. You know, the one with the camera and tape recorder and a memory like an elephant.
I like the wife, Mrs Bossman. I loved her when I married her, now I not only love her, I respect her. She is the most amazing creature where the kids are involved. Left to herself she can tell you on the instant what is the matter with one of our children. I get the manual out. Not so Mrs Bossman. She just knows! And what is more, she can't understand why I don't. But that's life.
OK, enough for now.
Monday 4th June 2007
So what have we been up to? Well like I said yesterday? the hub for breakfast, then to the Word book store to get Michele some books, then to the Body... well you know what it's like to be lead around by women shopping. It wasn't too bad though. At least it wasn't my money being spent.
Cathy has a very disgusting laugh. It has happened twice now. Does last long but usually when I tickle under her chin. She has also decided that now is the time to get mobile. This entails drawing the legs up under the backside then lifting the backside up and then stretching the legs out. This will get roughly about a 50 cm movement. It is good to do when dad has the nappy half on. Of course if one is careful one will wait until the nappy, usually a pooey one, is undone, then the nappy becomes a practice pad for traction. Usually the nappy shoots of the end of the change table and lands on the floor, pooey side down! Said baby stays on the change table having a look on the face that is a cross between "haa haa, got ya dad!" and "did I do that?".
Ezekiel 13.
Today's reading contains warning and judgement. Or, if you will consequences. It is primarily addressed to prophets. False prophets in fact.
But for me personally is contains wider implications. If I fail to speak God's word in love then I will seriously have some answering to do. I need to declare the whole councel of God. My speach needs to be yes yes and no no. I need to call a spade a spade. A shovel is not a spade although they have a similar function. But each has an individual task. So it is with sin. If God calls it sin then so should I. Always spoken with love and kindness, not with judgement. But sin is sin and wrong is wrong. Always there is forgiveness when repentance occurs, but still wrong action thoughts and deeds are worng actions thoughts and deeds.
What is a prophet? This is my personal defenition after observing the role of a prophet in Gods word. A prophet tells what is, that is he reveals sin. He declares God's judgement upon the sin, calling for repentance and a turning from the sin. He may also declare future events. So, a prophet, or one excercising a prophetic ministry needs to get it right. The prophets in Ezekiel 13 obviously didn't and so God, through Ezekiel, calls them to account.
The reading and comments above are from St Lukes daily Bible reading plan. I had read it earlier and then forgot and read chapter 18. I will do that one on its correct day if I get a chance to.
Cathy has a very disgusting laugh. It has happened twice now. Does last long but usually when I tickle under her chin. She has also decided that now is the time to get mobile. This entails drawing the legs up under the backside then lifting the backside up and then stretching the legs out. This will get roughly about a 50 cm movement. It is good to do when dad has the nappy half on. Of course if one is careful one will wait until the nappy, usually a pooey one, is undone, then the nappy becomes a practice pad for traction. Usually the nappy shoots of the end of the change table and lands on the floor, pooey side down! Said baby stays on the change table having a look on the face that is a cross between "haa haa, got ya dad!" and "did I do that?".
Ezekiel 13.
Today's reading contains warning and judgement. Or, if you will consequences. It is primarily addressed to prophets. False prophets in fact.
But for me personally is contains wider implications. If I fail to speak God's word in love then I will seriously have some answering to do. I need to declare the whole councel of God. My speach needs to be yes yes and no no. I need to call a spade a spade. A shovel is not a spade although they have a similar function. But each has an individual task. So it is with sin. If God calls it sin then so should I. Always spoken with love and kindness, not with judgement. But sin is sin and wrong is wrong. Always there is forgiveness when repentance occurs, but still wrong action thoughts and deeds are worng actions thoughts and deeds.
What is a prophet? This is my personal defenition after observing the role of a prophet in Gods word. A prophet tells what is, that is he reveals sin. He declares God's judgement upon the sin, calling for repentance and a turning from the sin. He may also declare future events. So, a prophet, or one excercising a prophetic ministry needs to get it right. The prophets in Ezekiel 13 obviously didn't and so God, through Ezekiel, calls them to account.
The reading and comments above are from St Lukes daily Bible reading plan. I had read it earlier and then forgot and read chapter 18. I will do that one on its correct day if I get a chance to.
Sunday, 3 June 2007
I need to remind you Daddy.....
That is a 3 year old daughters way of asking for the same item at least 40 thousand times. There are all sorts of ways of asking for something. Like our insistance on the word Please and Thank You. If either of those words are missing from a request, forget it, you ain't getting it. Our little girl has it down pat. Everything is preceded by "Please" and followed by "Thank You". She doesn't like you to forget things. Hence the "I need to remind you Daddy that I want a video please". Don't you just love them.
Fortunately, as yet, she hasn't informed us in a loud voice in public that Cathy "needs a nappy change daddy".
Oh, and now she can peel sweet potatoes "all on my own Daddy". And she can. She has only been trying to get a handle on the whole potato peeler for near on 12 months. She is ever so proud of herself.
Not forgetting Cathy. She is the best. We have lots of "dad and daughter" talks up on the change table. Usually while she is trying to get traction with her foot on the inside of a pooy nappy that I have just undone. Man, baby poo goes a long way. But it's all worth it. We have some fun times up there. It is even better when Michele decides to help. Then we go from the change table to the double bed. That way Michele can get involved with helping. She loves to help with her little sister and for her part Cathy will smile at Michele when none of the rest of us can coach a smile out of her.
What did we do today you ask? Well I am glad you did. By most peoples standards ours was a boring day. To church then lunch at the hub and then video and roast dinner. But the video was interesting. It was by a certain Mr Pearl and was about child rearing. It was excellent. The man doesn't have a good reputation. Though for the life of me I can't work out why. He and his family are attachment parenters who set boundaries. That's guaranteed to get peoples backs up straight away. But it's true. Let me give you an example.
Your child has a bad attitude and is grumpy. His solution? Find out why. Look at yourself first. In fact he does a lot of telling you to look at yourself. Examine your motives and why you deal the way you do with a child. Any way, back to the child with BA. Is it a one off? In other words, is your normally happy child, like our little Michele, just grumpy this once, or is it continual? If it is a one off, chances are if you deal with it that will be the end of it. Discipline the child and life goes on. However, maybe your not smiling enough and your generally picky? Then change your attitude and the child also will smile. Then dig a little deeper and find out what is bothering the child. And so on it goes. A question came up a little while ago about demand feeding and co-sleeping. That's another hot topic. He and his wife asked the people in their community for their opinion. They live in an Amish com unity. The people looked at them like they were nuts. Of course they all demand feed and co-sleep, what's wrong that the Pearl's needed to ask a silly question like that.
Back to the child with the BA. Now that set me and the Boss to talking over the meal. We both agree that one has a tendency to bring up our children the same way they were bought up. For example, you the mother was a "nagger" then chances are her children with "nag" their children. If the mother was a "hit first and ask questions after" then the child will tend to do the same. It gets down to what the Bible says about "the sins of the fathers being visited on the second and third generation". It's like a never ending merry go round that we can't get off. Some one has to break the mold. May I break the mold that my mother set and probably her mother before her. Amen.
Fortunately, as yet, she hasn't informed us in a loud voice in public that Cathy "needs a nappy change daddy".
Oh, and now she can peel sweet potatoes "all on my own Daddy". And she can. She has only been trying to get a handle on the whole potato peeler for near on 12 months. She is ever so proud of herself.
Not forgetting Cathy. She is the best. We have lots of "dad and daughter" talks up on the change table. Usually while she is trying to get traction with her foot on the inside of a pooy nappy that I have just undone. Man, baby poo goes a long way. But it's all worth it. We have some fun times up there. It is even better when Michele decides to help. Then we go from the change table to the double bed. That way Michele can get involved with helping. She loves to help with her little sister and for her part Cathy will smile at Michele when none of the rest of us can coach a smile out of her.
What did we do today you ask? Well I am glad you did. By most peoples standards ours was a boring day. To church then lunch at the hub and then video and roast dinner. But the video was interesting. It was by a certain Mr Pearl and was about child rearing. It was excellent. The man doesn't have a good reputation. Though for the life of me I can't work out why. He and his family are attachment parenters who set boundaries. That's guaranteed to get peoples backs up straight away. But it's true. Let me give you an example.
Your child has a bad attitude and is grumpy. His solution? Find out why. Look at yourself first. In fact he does a lot of telling you to look at yourself. Examine your motives and why you deal the way you do with a child. Any way, back to the child with BA. Is it a one off? In other words, is your normally happy child, like our little Michele, just grumpy this once, or is it continual? If it is a one off, chances are if you deal with it that will be the end of it. Discipline the child and life goes on. However, maybe your not smiling enough and your generally picky? Then change your attitude and the child also will smile. Then dig a little deeper and find out what is bothering the child. And so on it goes. A question came up a little while ago about demand feeding and co-sleeping. That's another hot topic. He and his wife asked the people in their community for their opinion. They live in an Amish com unity. The people looked at them like they were nuts. Of course they all demand feed and co-sleep, what's wrong that the Pearl's needed to ask a silly question like that.
Back to the child with the BA. Now that set me and the Boss to talking over the meal. We both agree that one has a tendency to bring up our children the same way they were bought up. For example, you the mother was a "nagger" then chances are her children with "nag" their children. If the mother was a "hit first and ask questions after" then the child will tend to do the same. It gets down to what the Bible says about "the sins of the fathers being visited on the second and third generation". It's like a never ending merry go round that we can't get off. Some one has to break the mold. May I break the mold that my mother set and probably her mother before her. Amen.
Saturday, 2 June 2007
Saturday 2nd June 2007 Proverbs 18
Proverbs 18 is today's Bible reading from St Lukes. The commentary that came with the reading sheet said that it was about hard work? Well I could only find 1 verse on that. But then I am blind. I like verse 2. That's me. Opinionated. All too often engaging the mouth before putting the brain in gear. Verse 5 is good. All too often the poor can't afford Justice. Verse 22 is my verse for today.
Oh, you haven't got a Bible. Well I'm glad you told me. Go here: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=proverbs%2018&version=31; and you can look it up.
We are having a lazy day today. I went out for my men's breaky this morning. Triple M's it's called. Mentor, Mature, Motivate. When we left I said I was going home to mug the wife and stick pins in the baby.
Michele and I did some reading after a monumental battle on another issue. She is a really great kid but like her dad is a stubborn little thing. She will do it but on her terms eventually. This also goes over to preschool. But since we had a conference it has been much better and so we can back each other up.
I want to add some photo's in here but don't know how to. If you do please comment so I can learn how to do it.
Oh, did I mention I have 4 days of work. Today is a lazy day, tomorrow is church in the morning, followed by lunch at the hiub followed by more being rude to the wife.
Monday is breaky at the hub followed by a visit to Bayside to spend some money. Maybe we might get a DVD for Michele.
Bye
Oh, you haven't got a Bible. Well I'm glad you told me. Go here: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=proverbs%2018&version=31; and you can look it up.
We are having a lazy day today. I went out for my men's breaky this morning. Triple M's it's called. Mentor, Mature, Motivate. When we left I said I was going home to mug the wife and stick pins in the baby.
Michele and I did some reading after a monumental battle on another issue. She is a really great kid but like her dad is a stubborn little thing. She will do it but on her terms eventually. This also goes over to preschool. But since we had a conference it has been much better and so we can back each other up.
I want to add some photo's in here but don't know how to. If you do please comment so I can learn how to do it.
Oh, did I mention I have 4 days of work. Today is a lazy day, tomorrow is church in the morning, followed by lunch at the hiub followed by more being rude to the wife.
Monday is breaky at the hub followed by a visit to Bayside to spend some money. Maybe we might get a DVD for Michele.
Bye
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)