ME19four: life, faith and role-playing games
Friday, February 24, 2006
Count your blessings
(Category: life, faith)
The second recommendation is slightly different, and comes from Christian Aid: a thought-provoking and fund-raising way to reflect the many blessings we take for granted in the United Kingdom.
For each of the 40 days of Lent there is thought starter and a financial or prayer challenge. For instance:
It may get you thinking, and might cost you quite a lot, and not just in money, but in the realisation of how lucky we really are. You can download a PDF.
I shall do it - and expect you to hold me accountable and ask how much I have raised in doing it.
Join me. Recruit your youth group and your Mothers' Union, your young, your old and all those inbetween. A lot of individuals, all doing their part, can go a long, long way.
(I might, if I can get my act together, post the challenges each day!) ¶ 4:22 pm 1 comments
The second recommendation is slightly different, and comes from Christian Aid: a thought-provoking and fund-raising way to reflect the many blessings we take for granted in the United Kingdom.
For each of the 40 days of Lent there is thought starter and a financial or prayer challenge. For instance:
Wednesday 1 March, Ash Wednesday
Millions of children in India are forced into work instead of going to school, so may never learn to read.
Give 15p for every newspaper, magazine or book you've read in the past week.
It may get you thinking, and might cost you quite a lot, and not just in money, but in the realisation of how lucky we really are. You can download a PDF.
I shall do it - and expect you to hold me accountable and ask how much I have raised in doing it.
Join me. Recruit your youth group and your Mothers' Union, your young, your old and all those inbetween. A lot of individuals, all doing their part, can go a long, long way.
(I might, if I can get my act together, post the challenges each day!) ¶ 4:22 pm 1 comments
The Right to Justice
(Category: faith)
I have been catching up with what I sometimes desparagingly refer to as my "Christian Junk Mail" - and two items of note have caught my eye.
This is the first.
While it is right and proper, out of Christian love to support and encourage all those in need throughout our world we are also under an obligation to support our fellow believers, especially in positions of persecution on the grounds of their faith.
So I heartily recommend this:
I might even try to add that as a banner to the blog. Mmm technical. ¶ 4:11 pm 0 comments
I have been catching up with what I sometimes desparagingly refer to as my "Christian Junk Mail" - and two items of note have caught my eye.
This is the first.
While it is right and proper, out of Christian love to support and encourage all those in need throughout our world we are also under an obligation to support our fellow believers, especially in positions of persecution on the grounds of their faith.
So I heartily recommend this:
I might even try to add that as a banner to the blog. Mmm technical. ¶ 4:11 pm 0 comments
Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.
(Category: life, faith)
Over the last few weeks, especially when it comes to housework, and the related activity of keeping my office tidy(!) I have found myself using a saying, almost like a mantra to explain my actions. "I never claim perfection, only adequacy."
It is related, I suppose to the tendency to do the minimum required, enough to get away with.
Now I know that housework is almost the definition of mundane, but this morning I had that realisation (like the proverbial lightbulb) that "I never claim perfection, only adequacy" is profoundly antithetical the the teachings of Jesus in the New Testament and his Father in the Old.
It came to light though a few moments ago in a startlingly practical manner. I am sitting here at my desk, reading the email and attempting to muster the enthusiasm for sermon writing when an anonymous white van draws up outside. This in itself is nothing unusual, folks are forever pulling up outside the vicarage to look at maps and call people on their mobile phones. I don't think this place is a maze, but that's me. The Lost may turn up at the Vicarage, but unfortunately they are only aware that they are geographically challenged, rather than in a more fundamental sense!
However, a somewhat scruffy gent gets out and begins to assemble a "For Sale" sign. I watch welcoming the mild distraction (having a window giving me a street view is wonderful!) "So", I say to myself, "it looks like R & P" (the folks across the road) "are thinking of moving." Said scruffy gent then heads to my garden with metal stake, sledgehammer and sign.
Now, I am unaware of the Diocese's intentions to sell the Vicarage without at least warning me, and so I hasten outside. "I'm not aware that we're selling this place" say I.
Scruffy gent looks puzzled. "You sure?" he asks.
"Definitely" I answer.
Inspection of scruffy gents' clipboard revelal the right road, but wrong number.
"It's that satellite navigation again", says he, dismantling the sign before heading back in the right direction to an even-numbered house.
Well, may God bless him with accuracy and perception. Maybe his motto is also "I never claim perfection, only adequacy." You never know, he might even try reading the house numbers for a little while! ¶ 9:17 am 0 comments
Over the last few weeks, especially when it comes to housework, and the related activity of keeping my office tidy(!) I have found myself using a saying, almost like a mantra to explain my actions. "I never claim perfection, only adequacy."
It is related, I suppose to the tendency to do the minimum required, enough to get away with.
Now I know that housework is almost the definition of mundane, but this morning I had that realisation (like the proverbial lightbulb) that "I never claim perfection, only adequacy" is profoundly antithetical the the teachings of Jesus in the New Testament and his Father in the Old.
It came to light though a few moments ago in a startlingly practical manner. I am sitting here at my desk, reading the email and attempting to muster the enthusiasm for sermon writing when an anonymous white van draws up outside. This in itself is nothing unusual, folks are forever pulling up outside the vicarage to look at maps and call people on their mobile phones. I don't think this place is a maze, but that's me. The Lost may turn up at the Vicarage, but unfortunately they are only aware that they are geographically challenged, rather than in a more fundamental sense!
However, a somewhat scruffy gent gets out and begins to assemble a "For Sale" sign. I watch welcoming the mild distraction (having a window giving me a street view is wonderful!) "So", I say to myself, "it looks like R & P" (the folks across the road) "are thinking of moving." Said scruffy gent then heads to my garden with metal stake, sledgehammer and sign.
Now, I am unaware of the Diocese's intentions to sell the Vicarage without at least warning me, and so I hasten outside. "I'm not aware that we're selling this place" say I.
Scruffy gent looks puzzled. "You sure?" he asks.
"Definitely" I answer.
Inspection of scruffy gents' clipboard revelal the right road, but wrong number.
"It's that satellite navigation again", says he, dismantling the sign before heading back in the right direction to an even-numbered house.
Well, may God bless him with accuracy and perception. Maybe his motto is also "I never claim perfection, only adequacy." You never know, he might even try reading the house numbers for a little while! ¶ 9:17 am 0 comments
Thursday, February 23, 2006
OK - this is good.
On the principal that having something posted everyday is important, even if you cannot think of anything clever, witty or controversial..
Your results:
You are Uhura
Click here to take the Star Trek Personality Test ¶ 9:14 pm 0 comments
Your results:
You are Uhura
| You are a good communicator with a pleasant soft-spoken voice. Also a talented singer.  |
Click here to take the Star Trek Personality Test ¶ 9:14 pm 0 comments
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Is this good?
Despite being a sci-fi fan I have never got round to seeing this film (sad, or what?) Would those who know me please tell me if this is representative?
¶ 7:22 pm 1 comments
 | You scored as Nebuchadnezzar (The Matrix). You can change the world around you. You have a strong will and a high technical aptitude. Is it possible you are the one? Now if only Agent Smith would quit beating up your friends.
Your Ultimate Sci-Fi Profile II: which sci-fi crew would you best fit in? (pics) created with QuizFarm.com |
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Truth in it's simplicity
(Category: faith)
If you don't make a habit of reading the daily Word on the Web, do try it.
You may not always agree with it - but it's refreshing in its simplicity, especially when we often make things far too complicated.
Certainly rang a few helpful bells with me this morning. And now off to Chapter. ¶ 10:20 am 0 comments
If you don't make a habit of reading the daily Word on the Web, do try it.
You may not always agree with it - but it's refreshing in its simplicity, especially when we often make things far too complicated.
Certainly rang a few helpful bells with me this morning. And now off to Chapter. ¶ 10:20 am 0 comments
