Paul Long's Ramblings

My Uncle sent me this video link. Really nice song / prayer Wow. She can sing and sounds so much like an adult ....

A friend sent me this article and it may me think. Actually I am not sure how to react as I had never before this really thought of the subject of masculinity and the new "sexuality emancipated world" from this perspective. But one thing that almost immediately came to mind is the "perfecto Italiano" cheese ads that I have seen recently on NZ Television (I found a couple on youtube and embedded it after the article). I do remember a number of occasions when I was much younger (*sigh* - the good old days? :-)) being told off by a few times by some girls (back in the 80s) when I opened the door for them  (as in when entering a room, I instinctively open the door and hold it open for them to pass through first) and when I offered to carry their bags etc. Reason given was in the area of "do you think I am helpless?" and "I can do it myself, I don;t need your help", (can't remember the exact terms). But I do remember the context was that it ...

After watching this year's Petronas CNY ad on youtube, this Singapore ad came up Worth watching. I suppose what attracted me to this ad was a conversation I had with someone a few days ago, in which one of the things that was brought up was related to what I be doing if I did not chose to become a pastor. My immediate answer was "a teacher", which I think surprised the person :-) Not so much teach in a seminary as a lecturer but a regular school teacher. I do fondly remember my 15 months teaching ESOL in a boarding school when I was much younger! And I do remember almost making the jump to leave being a church "full-time worker" at one of my many struggling stages to taking up a job teaching "moral studies" at a private higher learning institution ... But I think teaching is one of the noblest professions to be called to, and I find it sad that many in the teaching line do not love teaching - it is just a "mundane job". I am grateful th...

Forgiveness, the Cement of Community Life Community is not possible without the willingness to forgive one another "seventy-seven times" (see Matthew 18:22). Forgiveness is the cement of community life. Forgiveness holds us together through good and bad times, and it allows us to grow in mutual love. But what is there to forgive or to ask forgiveness for? As people who have hearts that long for perfect love, we have to forgive one another for not being able to give or receive that perfect love in our everyday lives. Our many needs constantly interfere with our desire to be there for the other unconditionally. Our love is always limited by spoken or unspoken conditions. What needs to be forgiven? We need to forgive one another for not being God! Community, a Quality of the Heart The word  community  has many connotations, some positive, some negative. Community can make us think of a safe togetherness, shared meals, common goals, and joyful celebrations. It also can ca...

It is interesting to me that for Peterson (at least in his younger days), felt that seminary professors were clearly regarded as top of the church hierarchy. Pastors to him were "shadowy, undefined figures in the background" (p.21). He of course changed his mind rather quickly saying he found himself (it was a surprise to him) preferring the four days he spent in the congregation to the two days he spent teaching in the classroom. I have been told and I do agree that one of my gifts is that of teaching. And I have been asked many times of whether I should seriously consider going for  further studies and one day teaching at a seminary. I love teaching. I love to try and create order and practical application from the Bible. I love to show that the Bible is immensely relevant and practical. BUT I have long come to the conclusion that academia is not for me. I don;t have the discipline required. Neither do I have the intellect required.  Never much of a struggle there. But i...

In the USA, some rights are more equal than others? Reminds me of  ... "All animals are equal. But some animals are more equal than others" Do US courts justify Sharia-based Crimes?     By Tawfik Hamid www.tawfikhamid.com A federal appeals court has  blocked  an Oklahoma voter-approved measure barring state judges from considering Islamic and international law in their decisions. Muneer Awad, the executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in Oklahoma, sued to block the law from taking effect, arguing that the Save Our State Amendment  violated his First Amendment rights . The court stated "When the law that voters wish to enact is likely unconstitutional, their interests do not outweigh Mr. Awad's in having his constitutional rights protected." Awad argued that the ban on Islamic law would likely affect every aspect of his life as well as the execution of his will upon his death. The appeals court pointed out that Aw...

Had decent weather today so I did some weeding of my vegetable patch ... and some harvesting. Messy garden, over crowded and a bit of a pain (the weeds) but some nice tasty and fresh produce. Quite an apt analogy of the Christian life. :-) Some of my taro. I look forward to harvesting the leaves next week (huge) and cook some lupulu. My dwarf apple tree - with fruits. I like it because the tree "died " but returned to life My kafir lime tree now has fruits. Still small but getting bigger Going to be so good when I cook :-)  Long bean plant that is doing very well Due to over crowding the carrot leaves are extra long (to fight for the sun) but the carrot is quite small. Left the others in the ground and see whether next month, they get any bigger Long beans from just one plant - and onions potatoes mingling with my carrots and taro. potatoes ... but from another area. They spread everywhere one of my salad plants my cucumber plant....

Some Ramblings and Reflections on The Pastor: A Memoir” by Eugene Peterson (Part one) I am really enjoying this book. It really “resonates” with my soul. (I like that word “resonate” J ) I am only half way thought it but thought that I should jot down some of my thoughts, as I think it will help clarify my many stray thoughts. And my thanks to Alex Tang for sending me this book! The foremost thing that really stands out for me is the realization (or reminder) that a pastor is not both “born and made” (as in the phrase “ ______ is born and not made”). It is “both / and”, and not “either / or”. But “made” is probably not the best word to use … “formed” would be a better choice. I found it interesting that from the very beginning of reading the book, I found myself thinking (almost in parallel) about my own stories that shaped my identity and calling.  That’s another key word that kept popping up – stories, more specifically “my life stories”.   It is very clear to me that...

I found  this Sojourners " Q uote of the day"  relevant to me. "Proportionately, that segment of the population pays more of their income toward utility bills. If we can cut those bills down. we can really help them." -  Matt Clark, Habitat for Humanity's national director of construction technology, on why Habitat is putting a new emphasis on energy-efficient “green” houses for low-income families. ( USA Today ) Cost of living, rising cost of utility bills (rates keep going up *sigh*) has been a topic of conversation I have had many times over the last couple of years. In some conversations, many of us even shared with one another the amounts we pay for our utility bills. And as I get semi  regular visits from representatives from different power companies (trying to get me to switch from my provider to theirs ...) I take the time to discuss (and with one even argue) the pros and cons of switching or staying. And even with a single company, there are v...

A helpful piece from Sojourners. I think it is hopeful and I like the way she ends her piece ... "... may we honor the Go-Between God by creating a safe space for all people to join the Great Conversation". An Invitation to The Great Conversation In 1943, in the throes of World War II and one of the most fraught times in contemporary human history, the psychologist Abraham Maslow published a paper explaining, as he understood them, the five basic, motivating needs common to all of humankind. They are: Physiological  (air, food, water, sleep, etc.) Safety Love/Belonging Esteem (confidence, achievement, respect of others and respect by others) Self-actualization (morality, creativity, spontaneity, problem solving, lack of prejudice, and acceptance of facts) While Maslow’s theories are humanistic, they have a connection to religion and spiritual life in what he called “peak experiences,” and what the religious world might call epiphanies — moments of clarit...

A wonderful way to view "patience"! Living the Moment to the Fullest Patience is a hard discipline. It is not just waiting until something happens over which we have no control: the arrival of the bus, the end of the rain, the return of a friend, the resolution of a conflict. Patience is not a waiting passivity until someone else does something. Patience asks us to live the moment to the fullest, to be completely present to the moment, to taste the here and now, to be where we are. When we are impatient we try to get away from where we are. We behave as if the real thing will happen tomorrow, later and somewhere else. Let's be patient and trust that the treasure we look for is hidden in the ground on which we stand.

I think they speak for themselves :-) These have been on my PC desktop for a long time now, collected over a few months.