what is Family?

Hung out with Athou (the Sudanese lady from church) on sat and we were just talking about stuff and the differences between cultures etc.
The topic of children came and up and she told me how her family of 6 (2 parents 4 kids) was considered small back in Sudan which is very different to our 2.5 kids average in Australia. Athou understood the reason for the differences- here kids are more of a burden/ hobby. Financial burdens of education, medical etc. plus you could argue that increasing emphasis on individualision and personal gain kids are often seen as a burden on our life or as a hobby which will improve our lives/ marrige or whatever.
In Sudan however, the town brings up the kids. In the current situation their is no access to education and, although it wasn't mentioned, not the same high quality/ high priced medical facilities. The children stay home and help out round the house- on saturday mum was having people over for dinner so I was glad to get out of the house and let mum do her thing! Athou laughed when I told her this and told me that if I was living in Sudan the whole family would be home helping to clean and cook. Big families that help each other in every area in life is just their way of life and really has become very different the way we view 'family'.
I think my friend is now finding that having a 'big' family is a burden living in Australia. She just seems very tired and has been stuck in the house for 2 months from being sick and her 2 yr son being sick.
I'm not saying that either culture is better just different. So I went home and asked mum if she wanted any help- she got me to help with the table cloth then told me she needed me out of the kitchen because she was going to start cooking! Instead she wanted me to entertian her friends later by playing the piano. -My role in the family- the entertaining burden! :)

"Beauty"

After safely making it to NICA (national institute of circus arts) thanks to my brilliant driving the show was really good. And in my personal opinion although some of the performances were really boaring a lot of them were more entertaining than those of Cirque du Soleil as they had a more comic element and not so arty farty! There were also more mistakes, but they did well to make them part of the performance.
We were also close enough to see all the guys 6 packs (not that Laura and I noticed!!) which they were not at all shy about showing off. Now maybe I'm alone here, but truely I'm not all that interested in whether or not a guy has a 6 pack. Any guy who so obsessed with thier stomach to spend that much time in a gym I think would annoy me that and constantly hearing about thier new legal muscle enhancing powder drink (sorry Mich but Steve brought that on himself- although he hasn't mentioned anything lately). The circus 'freaks' have an excuse cos' it enables them to perform cool circus tricks but to me they seem kind of 'fake' and we're expected to see 'Ken and Barbie'= beauty. I'm all for taking care of ourselves, looking good and being heathy but spending hours at a gym or bleaching ya hair blond and straitening it every morning really gets no respect from me. But don't care what I think, do what ever makes ya happy- just remember that 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder'- in other words you can decide what you think is beautyful not 'oooh he's got a 6 pack so I want him'.
Do you think that when you love someone you don't give a stuff what they look like and has no impact on your feelings or are we so physically orientated these days that that is no longer possible?

Red Light

Driving to Parahan fri night to see a goup of circus students perform, with Laura and her sister Any, I once again proved how stupid I can be. Stopped at the lights of a major intersection on Burwood Hwy and we where not at all paying attention. Instead my attention was more on the what looked like a 15 yr old boy in school uniform who had managed to grow this full on beard and 3 teenage girls all in Ugg boots which lead to a discussion of wheather their still in fashion or not. Therefore, when all the cars on my side of the car started moving I did too, being in the right hand lane, and didn't relise untill half way through the interesection that they had the right hand turning arrow but I was going striaght through the red light.
Lucky for me there was 1. no red light camera, and 2. the drivers that I would have hit had only just started moving so where going slow enough to break and there was no accident. Maybe I should pretend I did it on purpose and that I'm some kind of criminal mastermind, but I think the older I get the dumber I'm becoming!! Even so I've still a clean no accident driving record- so as Laura recons 'I'm blessed' and I'm prob better off and learnt something from the experience- that and 15 yr old high school kids should not grow massive beards as they are very distracting to any drivers!

Need your help

Auditions for music therapy course are coming up in November, which means I really need to start working out and practicing pieces. For Melbourne I have to play 3 pieces, of contrasting styles on my main instrument (piano) so thats no drama, been there and done that many times before! Also, have to improvise on a mood or feeling that they'll suggest on the day- which will be interesting but having majored in composition at uni I should be able to manage that one- anyway it's all creative interpretation!!
But, and this is where I need your help, I also need to play and sing 3 songs on guitar- definately not my best instrument so I really need to get onto it and figure out what songs I'll attempt. Already chosen Ben Harpers 'Waiting on an Angel' which is prob a biased choice as it's a personal fave- but it's also playable so why not! But now I need to choose 2 more. Think I should do an old, sing along classic eg. Love me tender or something Beatles or the Scope clients fave 'I am sailing'. But now I need one more which should be more up beat and recent 'pop' style. Been doing some research listening to the radio and stuff and there's actually alot of piano base songs out there- which for once doesn't help me.
Anyway, it'd be great to hear what songs 'speak' to you and you enjoy (Steph this is your opp to tell me all about Hilary Duff!!) I'd really appreciated it and find it interesting.

'Terrorism'

Was reading an article from mondays age on the issues of how schools should deal with tradegies such as terrorist attacks. With so much media attention given and the high level of media exposure we all have, it's not an issue that can or should be ignored. I guess as youth leaders it's an issue we should be aware of as well. The article also provided some good links fro teaching materials which could be interesting, at- racismnoway.com.au/classroom/lesson_ideas/20041109_75.html and peace-ed.org .
The article also stated that "there are between 40 and 50 recognised terrorist groups around the world that cover every religion, ethnicity and continent". This is very true and proves that there is never any excuse for racism. I remember when I was in London in 1997, not being allowed on the subway because of a bomb threat. In '97 the threats were from the IRA (Irish republican party). This stems from a long 'battle' between the catholic church and the church of england, although these days I do think it's much more politically motivated than anything to do with religion. Even so my uncle, who is northern Irish, refused to speak to and attend the wedding of his own daughter because she decided to marry a southern Irish Catholic! Recently someone told me that the reason we don't use incense in church 'is because that's what the Catholics do'- that is the most pathetic thing I've ever heard! Nor suggesting we need to copy and believe everything Catholics or any other religion/ group etc. do but I don't think we should define what we can and should do by what everyone round us does. I've really got to go now but I'm quite fired up bout this topic so don't be surprised if I add more another day!

I struggle coming up with titles so any suggestions as to a title for this blog would be appreciated!

I'm back from my mini getaway to the family holiday house- which I really enjoyed. Just having no commitments and being able to do what I want when I want it is nice although the weather wasn't so good for the beach this time. Living alone is also a different experience- I don't mind living by myself but I think long term I'd rather live with at least 1 other person. Admittedly I do tend to talk to myself- not thinking out loud as such just saying stuff that I would say if others were there even though their not. Therefore, I'm not worried just yet about insanity just the quiet kinda gets to me. Also tend to have either the TV or radio on constantly even while not paying any attention to it, for that same reason. I've become so used to hearing constant noise that when there is no noise I feel the need to create noise. That and it prevents you from hearing the burgular trying to get in- which turns out to be a tree branch in the wind against the house or the guy coming to rape you which is really the cat next door knocking something over!
Once again I managed to look the keys in the car! This is the third time I've done this down at balnarring, this time was actually at the petrol station in Hastings (which is bout 10 min from Balnarring) on my way home. Mobile was also in the car so I had to use a pay phone to get mum to bring the spare keys. Luckely this petrol station also had a subway so I could sit inside and bought the sunday hearald to read while I waited what turn out to be an hour and 30 mins thanks to the freeways being blocked off causing traffic delays.
Why the only time I look the keys in the car is when I'm an hours drive from home I'll never undersatnd- that you'd think I would have learnt through my last 2 experiences of doing the exact same thing. I have a theory that my brain has a switch that I can turn it on and off- but I don't think I have control of that switch. There are times when I am quite smart but there are other times when I do and say such incredably stupid things which if I was thinking at the time there is no way I would do. not suggesting humans have a physical switch in their brains but I think we have the ability to bypass the logical/ thinking part of our brains and have it turned off and probably some people more than others. James laughs at my brain switch theories so you guys prob will to but I'll prove you all wrong!

Won't be on the net for a few days because I'm going down to Balnarring for few days. Been trying to get away for a while now but been too hard but this is my last opp. before going back to uni on Monday- so thats it, I don't care what comes up I'm going!

Pub Meals

Last night went to the Irish pub at knox for dinner with some good old high school mates- loved catching up! Anyway the meal was fantastic and heaps cheaper than anything at a restaurant- so from now on I'm totally over going out for meals at restaurants and going to hang out in pubs from now on!

Serving

'The most radical social teaching of Jesus was his total reversal of the contemporary notion of greatness. Jesus shattered the customs of his day when he lived out the cross-life by taking woman seriously and by being willing to meet with children. He lived the cross-life when he took a towel and washed the feet of his disciples. This Jesus who easily could have called down a legion of angles to his aid chose instead the cross-death of calvery'- from 'Celebration of Discipline' Richard Foster.
This is all stuff I've known and heard before but it's good to be reminded and brought back to the basics- also like the term 'cross-life'. That is the Love of Jesus, spending time with and serving all he meets and as christians shouldn't we serve not just for the sake of serving but through living with Jesus we are compelled to live as he did? 'Jesus made me do it' was the title of one of the lectures at Forge and I think that sums up what I'm getting at here- open up to God and he will lead you on your own 'cross-life'.
Reading the book 'Celebration of discipline' at the moment for the Wed. night group and are enjoying it. Looks at stuff like meditation, fasting and simplicity and a lot more- which is stuff I think we tend to ignore but means where missing out on stuff that could bring us closer to God and yourselves.

E-mail Friends

Went indoor rock climbing yesterday with a friend from high school and some of her uni buddies. Had heaps of fun just catching up and spending time together. Just reminded me that although we'd kept in contact quite regularly via e-mail and as useful as e-mail is, esp. with the majority of my family overseas, it can't substitute for spending time together. So from now on I'm going to try and catch up more with people I normally don't instead of writting e-mails to stay in touch!

Kids, life and art

One of the session I did go to on sat at Forge was on using art and drama to reach out to people and get them thinking. One of the ladies who took the session used the example of getting people of all ages to creat a piece of art that resembles for them God's Love or creation etc.
This, Digs post on RE teaching and my own thoughts/ experiences of teaching kids piano really got me thinking about how to 'teach'/ relate esp. children to God and life. Currently on sun morrnings we'd take the children to another room and teach them a bible story and a simple verse and then do an activity relating to the bible story. All this is fine- bible stories are great and almost all my knowledge of bible stories comes from my sunday school days. But maybe we should allow the kids to be more creative and show us what God means to them instead of alwas telling them 'this is how it is'- I'm sure we'd learn heaps to.
Have the same internal questioning about how to teach piano. I understand the importance and benifits of teaching kids to read music and keep in time etc. but all that leaves little room for the kids to be creative and play how and what they feel and want to. For students going for exams I'm tied and have to follow every rule but I think there needs to be a balence.
Thats one of the reason I enjoy my job at the sports centre- my main job is not to teach the kids how to how to play properly with the right techniques (plus there just isn't time) but to make sure everyone is having fun. I'm probably a coaches worst nightmare but so long as the ball makes it to the batsman i don't care how they bowl it. sure i need to enforce certain rules to facilitate the game and reduce likelyhood of injeries etc but the main emphasis is on everyone having fun.
Now that this post has totally gone off track! my main point is that I don't think we should always feel we have to teach kids how stuff should be done- sure thats often important but kids also need to be creative and art and sports are great ways of allowing this.

Forge- intitial response

Hey, I'm back- sorry bout the delay but being hols I went into lazy mode there!
Spent all of sat and last night at the Forge national summit. Post more on it in a couple of days when I've had a chance to get my head round it- always takes me a while! I'd try to explain what Forge is on about- but i really don't thinkg i'd do it justice- so if your interested feel free to ask me any q's and if I don't feel I can respond I'll ask Keechy. But basically forge looks at different ways of 'doing' church and bringing chritianity back to it's roots and core values.
Still not sure where I sit with it all but a lot of what Forge seems to be on about just clicks with me - so we'll see.