Paul Long's Ramblings

From Colson's BreakPoint commentary. Excellent piece - no need for me to comment further The Individual and the Internet The Quest for Community November 28, 2011 Man was made to live in community. In Genesis 2, we're told it's not good for man to be alone. And in a classical world the worst punishment was to be banished from society, because you had no meaning once you were. Our founders in America created a country that respected individual rights and liberties, but always in the context of the people. And the people united in communities and associations, which secured individual rights from an otherwise all-powerful government. So you had a balance. And in the context of those communities, we prospered like no other nation on earth. Tocqeuville when he came to America praised the civic virtue of Americans -- their collective self-reliance in building hospitals, schools, churches, etc. But in recent times, not only in America but throughout the Western World, ...

Pastor's notes for 27 November 2011 bulletin To read, click HERE

A fine piece from RPK ...  http://malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/no-holds-barred/45147-what-else-is-unconstitutional-in-malaysia Ok, my quota of time for Malaysian politics has been reached :-) What else is unconstitutional in Malaysia?  Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom said it is unconstitutional for a person to be homosexual in Malaysia. “In reality, in the country’s constitution it is not allowed, including sections 377(a), (b), (c) and (d) which prohibit sexual relations between two men,” said Jamil, who is in charge of Islamic affairs and head of the Malaysian Department of Islamic Development (Jakim). NO HOLDS BARRED Raja Petra Kamarudin Actually, if the minister really wants to follow the Federal Constitution of Malaysia, there are many more things that are unconstitutional, and being a homosexual is certainly not one of them although he can argue that it is against the law. But then, being against the law (meaning: it constitutes...

Took these photos a couple of weeks ago. Got a few spare moments so uploading them. My blueberry bush. I bought one a 2.5 years ago but the ground  I planted in  was too harsh for it, so it died (at least that is my excuse :-)) but someone else who is a good gardener had a similar problem so I think this is the reason .... This one is about 1 year old now and I decided to plant it in a pot for better control and it is already fruiting. Did not expect berries so fast! Better cover with some netting soon or the birds will eat them all up I am so happy that my dwarf apple tree is "rebudding"(?) ... It is almost 2 years old and all the leaves died and fell off before winter! The leaves were attacked by insects and were rotting and I made a big error of putting in the wrong fertilizer (same ones I use for my feijoa trees). I checked with the nursery and they told me that that fertilizer was NOT meant for trees in pots at it would be too strong. Leaves fell off ...

Is email really that essential for contemporary church based ministries? Decided to try a personal experiment. Sunday after dinner I decided not to check my emails till Tuesday morning. So pout away my i-touch as well. Usually when at home my it-touch is within easy access so I can just casually check my mail (and FB too) whenever I feel like it. I figured that after Sunday dinner was a reasonable time (as it is after church service, meeting people, a special meeting and caroling practice) and Monday was after all my day off. Quick observations: On my 3 email accounts (all gmail), I had a total of 79 emails meaning some are conversations (emails on the same subject) From one email address (my low priority email) I had 15 are news items (various lists) of which most are pretty easy to choose to delete (all from one mail address). Basically If I have time I may scan or even read ... (news, ministry lists). Takes a couple of minutes ONE email I will have to respond to (but at...

Active Waiting Waiting is essential to the spiritual life.  But waiting as a disciple of Jesus is not an empty waiting.  It is a waiting with a promise in our hearts that makes already present what we are waiting for.  We wait during Advent for the birth of Jesus.  We wait after Easter for the coming of the Spirit, and after the ascension of Jesus we wait for his coming again in glory.  We are always waiting, but it is a waiting in the conviction that we have already seen God's footsteps. Waiting for God is an active, alert - yes, joyful - waiting.  As we wait we remember him for whom we are waiting, and as we remember him we create a community ready to welcome him when he comes.

In my prayers this morning before Sunday worship Friday, November 18, 2011 Pakistan Telecom Authority bans 'offensive' text messages including the use of 'Jesus Christ' By Dan Wooding Founder of ASSIST Ministries LONDON, UK   (ANS)  --  A Pakistani Christian leader has attacked The Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) who is reported to have told mobile phone companies to begin blocking text messages containing "obscene" words including "Jesus Christ." Wilson Chowdhry asks, "How long until we see signs like this on Pakistani highways?" Mobile phone companies Telenor Pakistan and Ufone confirmed to the BBC that the PTA has sent them a "dictionary" of banned words and expressions. The PTA has reportedly ordered operators to begin screening text messages by November 21, 2011. "Ufone say they are now working on how to block the offending words," said a BBC story. "A letter dated November 14, apparently writ...