back.jpgWell fine friends who have bugged me for months and years, today I went to a physio. $8 with a health care card- not bad!

There was a student on placement there along with the other lady so she made him do most of the speculating (harsh, so I’ll say ‘diagnosing’).

So as expected I went on a day that my shoulders weren’t bothering me much at all. They decided that ajodfjasodfjads muscles were pretty tight etc. etc. and gave me some stretches to do some stickers to remind me to do them and a massage. I’m booked to go back in next week so they can see if there is any improvement.

Happy now?

General Life

woman_alone.jpgA couple of weeks ago during a discussion on a Sunday morning, one of the youth boys concluded that God must have a ‘bit of evil’ in him. We were quick to correct him as best we could and had to messily explain why it couldn’t be so, in response to why God seemingly almost enjoyed ‘killing people off’ in the Old Testament.

I was thinking further about it when I was reading about The Painful Joy of Justice in ‘The Pleasures of God’ (John Piper) and came across the following,

“From this I conclude that the death and mystery of the unrepentant is in and of itself no delight to God. God is not a sadist. He is not malicious or bloodthirsty. Instead, when a wicked, unbelieving person is judged, what God delights in is the exaltation of truth and righteousness, and the vindication of his own honor and glory” – (p.73)

Piper has a fair point (and one hard to elaborate on in one post – go read the book). How do you explain this to a 12 year old who hasn’t had the experience of looking at theology and clearly wouldn’t know what a sadist is (speaking only from experience – it’s the kind of thing I have to continually look up)?

We do, as Christians seem to do a lot of trying to understand God. Yet if God could be understood, he would not be as great (?), he would not be as wonderful and incompressible.
I have a question,

We should be striving to know God as best we can, but should we attempt to understand him? Is it the same thing?

Is it enough to simply apprehend who he is in what he is doing and the multitude of other ways that God reveals himself?

We should not and cannot claim to be completely in control of having this life and God in a box.

It’s a wondrous thing to glimpse a little bit more of Him and a frustrating (and false) point to think for a moment that I’ve understood as much as my understanding can allow.

Explaining, showing God and sharing who he is to others is no mean feat. It is difficult, exciting, complicated, terrifying. Who are we afterall, to explain him? And to make others satisfied with a realm of paradox and doubt… what are we getting them in to!

Christianity General Ministry

amazingbirds.gifA little sunburnt, custardised and having slept better and longer than I do at home… I am back!

No great details just now as I’m off to decorate the Christmas Tree (2 days late. Hmph!) but I had fine, relaxing time and went for at least two long walks along the beach, one by my ownsome (quite happily – it was glorious!) and one with the boy (also exceptional!). Along with a group ~12km walk (apparently). Sore legs. I’ll share photos of the weekend as soon as I get my hands on them.

The wedding on Friday night was the most fun I’ve possibly ever had at a wedding, despite it being the same location as two of the last three weddings I’ve been to and despite keeping off the champagne. It turns out Marko (from Tabor) was the best man and Craig (my Church History lecturer once upon a time) was running the show… erm service. Lots of extra people links. Amy (YITS) was a bridesmaid – but I did know that.

And more good news, I checked my uni results and it turns out I did even better than last semester… ladeda! And I got a Distinction in the subject I was worried about. I must simply be a genius, because I really didn’t put all that much effort into any of it. Modest too. Oh yes they say… and all nod in agreement.

And I passed 6,000 blog views which I suppose isn’t too bad with allsaid coming close to it’s second birthday and me putting very little effort (until recently) into commenting around so that other people can actually find me.

As Tim P and Geoff both understand I had a potentially lethal dose (not really Mum) of Panadol and iced coffee on the drive back, which can account for all strangeness both now and previously. Lang, lang, lang. Alternatively I’m in a particularly good/silly mood from having the type of day that can fit in, ‘a very good day’ category quite comfortably.

Until tomorrow then!

General Life

In response to John’s, “How’d it go?”

It was fine! Quite good. It’s funny considering how much effort you put into a folio and how little time is actually spent looking at it. So there were two ‘panel’ members and one 3rd year student. She was really nice (mature age student) and let me know afterwards that I’d done quite well. I’m happy with it, and I didn’t have to go into the ‘designers I follow (or don’t follow)’ at all.

I will find out the true results mid December. Until then, semester results come out tonight,I’ve a Wedding to go to shortly and am yet to pack for a weekend down at Wilson’s Prom with the Young Adults crew!

General Life Uni