Published October 31, 2005 by

One life

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” – Mary Oliver

“If you don’t know where you’re going, it doesn’t matter which way you go.” – Lewis Caroll (The Cheshire Cat)

“I would have cried and laughed less while watching television – and more while watching life.” – Erma Bombeck

Been tackling writing a personal mission/vision statement. I haven’t managed to reach the explanation part of it (despite my prequel rambling of a thought process). This is it thus far:

I will live with integrity and understanding of where I stand in relation to God. I will make a difference to the individuals around me by actively listening and putting their needs before my own. I will develop and use any means of communication that have been given to me to positively influence and impact others. I will never be content with a bystander attitude or a passive existence. I will allow myself to fail in order that I might grow. I will seek to develop my character and discover my potential but not allow it to control me. I will glorify God in all areas of life: spiritually, physically, emotionally and mentally.

What think you?

Christianity General Life

Published October 31, 2005 by

Let bygones be bygones

Okay. Must thought dump so that it is entirely out of the way so I can get this silly assignment done and face the reality of beginning Nanowrimo tonight (should I happen to stay up to 12:01 which is highly likely).

Monday. I love Mondays, purely because it ceases the ‘I’m so bored, I actually need people’ thing that encompasses most weekends. Despite being introverted, when it comes to being around people I love, people that challenge me, people that make me laugh etc… bring them on!

Troy led the first class, highly challenging as usual, I got to ask some of social justice questions although perhaps not in as great detail as if I had first written them down and came to Stephen and Troy with them. Hey there’s this thing called email, why don’t I use it? Stephen mentioned the Ethical Trade Registry which I will definitely go have a look at. Well, I never thought social justice stuff would bug me like it has thus far. Problem is of course knowing where to start. Adovc8 (Steve’s youthy blog)has a bit to say about it. This is one daunting task when you step back from your own aura of aquaintances.

We had about 2 minutes to quickly write an answer to: What is Jesus on about? (Re: Kingdom of God stuff), part of my scrawl bought up the phrase, “focusing on the indvidual but impacting the global” Might be a very Rebecca coloured glass view but hey, this I think is part of it. I will bring some of this up with my creative metaphor/representation of the Kingdom of God next week. Some of you might recall the time I wrote about the little boy with the deaf father whom I saw on the train, well I’m using some of that. That’s the current plan anyway.

The person I was planning to talk to showed up late. I handed the gush post I’d printed to Tilla who went straight to Jacqui. Didn’t get to talk to her after that, which is all fine, I don’t need to know if/what they are doing about it.

Afternoon break I asked * if she wanted to talk, I got some, “Oh, I have to do something else right now” weakish excuse, I felt no real urgency in following it up just then. Went had accountability time (sorta) w/ Katie and Jo.

Anyway. Warwick doing class on Spiritual warfare (this is class no.2) He was talking about some freedom thing/naming stuff. He told us we’d be paring up. If that wasn’t a blindingly obvious opportunity to talk to her then nothing was. Wrote Katie a note saying I’d be deserting her. Felt strangely kind of afraid or whatever while sitting there which err, I talked to God about and it mostly went away.

Had a really good talk to *. It was meant to be a two way kind of thing, it felt more one way to me all up, but I think that is probably the way God wanted it to go. She talked and talked and I asked questions and we prayed and ha, kept getting the feeling that she had more to say, so prodded her about what was on the post and other stuff that came up. A lot of the questions Warwick gave us to look through surrounded the topic of ‘where you’ve been decieved’ etc… Hey. There was nothing gob smackingly horrific or shocking or anything. Quite normal (dare I generalise) female mind issues and stuff, human issues. Came to something near the end which I am going to have to remind her about during the week. I hope throughout that I was able to speak something into her life – that God was doing that through me.

*wry smile* this is like modding offline.

General Life YITS

Published October 30, 2005 by

A look into fair trade

I have been searching out some of the Schweppes/Cadbury/Nestle/Coke sites re: fair trade and policies. Namely for interests sake. You wouldn’t believe how much digging you have to do to actually get to the info, but it is there.

Schweppes views on fairtrade (oh how curious how they skirt the actual issue).
Nestle’s Africa report and stories and ‘contribution’ to the UN Millenium Development Goals

and of course Coke that, “exists to benefit and refresh everyone it touches”. I found my way to the coke facts site, which is possibly a ‘covering of their back’ for myths (or perhaps truths) about exploitation.
And I find this,

Does The Coca-Cola Company operate sweatshops in Colombia?

No, we do not. A “sweatshop” is an operation that exploits low labor costs to produce goods for exports, generally from poor countries to richer countries. That is NOT how The Coca-Cola Company operates. Coca-Cola beverages made in Colombia are produced by Colombians for sale to Colombians.

and also this,

Is The Coca-Cola Company misusing local water resources in India?

No. We are one of the most efficient users of water in India. In fact, we’ve been recognized for our environmental practices by prominent global organizations, including the Red Crosslink.

Who knows who is telling the truth? This site is endorsed by the CocaCola company…

Another curious site I found when I was looking up Made In China which is an interesting article, very activist based. And another.

I’m still not entirely sure why they bother to label clothing with the country of origin.

I shall be asking some questions tomorrow.

General Social Justice

Published October 30, 2005 by

Pipol Fastaem

Well if you happened to be at all interested. I found myself back to the Pipol Fastaem (People First) website which is a Solmon Islands based. So various news and stuff. More interesting are the pictures (go through digital library). If you select provences: Malaita, Guadalcanal and (Honiara) -which is the Capital city. These are various places I grew up. I had a quick look and recognised a few familar spots. Ask me if you like.

*edit
😮

Had another look. It’s all there! Henderson Airport, Auki Island, Lulisiana, Bonegi, the Yacht Club beach even!!!!

General Solomon Islands

Published October 30, 2005 by

The price of loose change

How curious. The last time I got an email from this person was almost a year ago. This one has been sitting in my inbox for about three days. No it wasn’t specifically for me – a group email, it asks for a reply. I am the only one of my siblings which got the email – which is vaguely curious. I grew up with this person, they played somewhat of a significant role in my life in 2001.

Change.

How much I have changed.

It frustates me sometimes when I realise how ineffective I’ve been in keeping in touch with Solomons people. We all moved and moved on. I still love them like my family. I would still spend time with them above anyone else in the world, more than the friends I have now. I would drop anything ‘important’ if they were around. But I don’t really know them anymore.

You know. I can’t even remember them. I can’t remember their voice and I only know their smile from photos.

How do you reintroduce yourself?

Hi,
I’m not the Rebecca you know,
but I’m the same you knew.

I have been wondering whether to even bother replying. Something in me wants to. Something in me wants to leave the lot behind so I don’t potentially have to rehash what was. Maybe its a risk? I’m most definitely thinking things through too much, I know those of you who would say to me, “What’s your problem Bec” and those who don’t even see the issue.

Church this morning. A Sunday reoccurence of feeling vastly dissatisfied with the church I’m in. Ot’s all perfectly fine when the sermon’s going. Its really good in that respect. Yet there is this massively gaping void of relationship. If Jess is not there, if Analise is in with the kids, then there is a hello and a bit of small talk with Isobelle and that is it. I do not know people. I can’t joing a young adults small group until YITS is over as it clashes with Wednesday night class. Ostracized? Curls was there this morning, back from England – Laura talked with him, I didn’t recognise him at all until he was pointed out.

Its hard path. I was talking to God during the singing. This year has rocked what comfort I found in tradition. Jess said she doesn’t feel like going to church at all anymore. It seems just a place for Sunday, where is the living – the community outside one designated morning or evening a week? Disatisfaction. I don’t feel like I fit in ‘what I used to describe as’ church anymore, I don’t feel it is effective, I don’t feel it is the best or most useful way of doing things.

I am sitting on the top of a cliff edge looking down. I have now, a footing in a community, a footing in close relationships. One foot. I don’t have that other foot anywhere solid, that foot should be in a church community. What happens when I loose the other footing?

This year.

I might as well be a lump of play dough. I don’t know my shape any more. Every day seems to change me.

I would not trade what I have gotten out of this year for anything.

I am proud of where God has taken me, quite astounded at what He’s done. Fear is the price of growth. Risk for the non-risk taking Rebecca.

I could laugh at the seemingly small things – the riduculous simple things like having to do ‘swing dancing’ lessons and how they have quite forcefully put me in a position to examine who I am, who I was and who I want to be.

Next year.

No more fishtank, no more safety in glass walls. It’s the ocean as big as it is.

Afraid?
Only of losing what I’m leaving behind.

Church General Life Solomon Islands