Security

'I am disappointed that so many young people just accept what comes to them in the form of a career. So few choose-well. Do not be hesitant about pioneering and do not be over concerned with security. The grave is secure but terribly dull. Serve your age well and security will take care of itself'.- Henry Holland (medical missionary to Pakistan, born 1875)

Is it the same today?

We have much greater choice of career and oppertunities, but do we choose better?

Do we focus too much on security or do we fight against security, rebelling against the last generation?

MT folio

For any who may be interested, this is my folio of 15 songs for my exam in a week and a half. Have to have stuff for across the life span and the song choices are very much dependant on what I can play on guitar and sing at the same time.

Anyway, if you have any other ideas or find or anything thats just stupid- let me know

or if you don't mind listening to bad guitaring and ok singing it'd be good for me to practice on a live audience.

• Heidi Ho
  for young children
  To provide a positive sensory environment for pre-mature infants a Music therapist could sing the song as a quiet and gentle lullaby. To encourage a healthy and consistant breathing or heart rate could match the rhythm with the infants brething pattern or heart rate.
• Five little Ducks
  For young children
  To encourage sitting up and some gentle movement to a young child in paediatrics include hand actions and 'quack' sounds.
• Would you like to choose an instrument?
  For Children, people with a disability and older adult.
  To promote communication and help child with autism notice what others are doing and reduce parallel play the Music therapist could match tempo and volume that the client plays their chosen instrument.
• Spot song
  Children
  To encourage children with a physical disability to engage in music and movement change actions and change 'spot' eg. 'flick'. And different body parts for ear and hair to encourage them to reach or have a carer massage that area to promote body awareness.
• Mama don't 'low
  Children and people with a disability.
  To encourage greater participation, control and accomplishment allow teenager with global developmentally delay to strum the guitar a substitute 'I' for their name.
• Predictable (Delta Goodrem)
  Older children, early teenagers
  To aid young teenage girl in rehab to practice speech by singing one line then having an instrumental line for her to repeat the lyrics with the guitar providing rhythmic support.
• Everybody hurts (REM)
  Young to middle aged adults and older teenagers
  To promote self expression for a client with depression and anxiety disorder match their rhythm, tempo and volume while they paly an instrument of their choice.
• Zombie
  Young to middle aged adults.
  To facilitate expression using lyric substitution for a young adult while in hospital with cancer.
• Waiting on an Angel (Ben Harper)
  Young to middle aged adults.
  To reduce pain and anxiety for an adult client with neurofibromatosis emphasise down beat and match the tempo to of calm rate of breathing during breathing exercises.
• Senzenina (What have we done?) (trad. south African)
  Children to middle aged adults.
  To enable a scense of achievement and empowerment include parts in an acappella call and response with one leader, either music therapist or capable client in a group with refugue children. Have children play on drums and sing at the end of the session asking 'what have we done' substituing lyrics for the different activities in the session.
• I'm a believer (Neil Diamond)
  Older children, teenagers to middle aged adults.
  To assist group co-operation, communication and expression Music therapist could play a chorus and verse without singing and have class in a special school play on percussion instruments and allow them to decide the tempo and volume.
• Amazing grace
  Middle to older aged adults.
  To encourage relaxation and pain reduction for client in Palliative care could play at a soft volume and slow tempo without lyrics or could improvsed vocal sounds.
• Moon river
  Adults in their 60's and 70's.
  After playing the song once through to help stimulate memory could then ask questions about the song and leve words out and have slight pauses in music to encourage adult client recovering from a stroke to verbalise.
• When Irish eyes are smiling
  Older adults.
  Increase the tempo to enable dancing or movements with nursing home residents.
• Daisy, Daisy
  Older adults.
  To encourage tapping and gentle movement in older adult with arthritis by emphasising the down beat of each bar. To promote sleep for an older adult play the song softly and sing in a lullaby style.

Last sun night had a couple from intersever, who'd done a lot of work in India, come and speak. Talked a lot about missionary kids and those born in other countries where their parents have a different nationality to their kids etc. which is not really something I'd thought much about- dispite being half one myself with dad.

Something else I'd never really thought about-

Allah?- Through the ages, Christians have tried to convey the living word through the everyday language of the people they are reaching out to. Christians took up the words 'Theos' and 'Gott' (amongst many others) to talk about the Creator. Both these originally had connotations not compatible with God as revealed in the Bible. However, we now read them exclusively as 'God'. When the message ges to new cultures, we need to find terms that start where people are at, whether that's in New Guinea, Brazil or the Middle East. Do we drop this custom just for a Muslim neighbour?

'But surely there is a big difference between the understanding of Allah and the true nature of God?' True! True indeed. But we all start with a poor understanding of who God is. For some of us he was God the policeman, for others he's God the kindly grandfather. As we get to know him, these misconceptions are replaced by knowing him in relationship. The peopleI know who have used the word 'Allah' all their life but now know him throught Jesus almost all say, 'I knew Allah before, but now I know him so much better. I see him so much more clearly and my relationship is so much deeper through Jesus'. Very few of my colleagues want to stop using the word 'Allah' in their prayers; instead, the word is infused with new, fresh and dynamic meaning.-interserve Australia

A danger to health

“Tell those rich in this world’s wealth to quit being so full of themselves and so obsessed with money…”(The Message, 1 Tim 6.17-18)

Luke 16.1-18

The story of the dishonest manager is arguably the most perplexing of Jesus’ parables - “an exegetical hornets’ nest” (Craig L. Blomberg, “Neither Poverty Nor Riches”, Apollos, Leicester, 1999). But we can safely assume that the two central characters placed great value on financial riches. In this they were much like those Pharisees who “loved money” (verse 14) and who, as a result, couldn’t abide Jesus’ astonishing teaching about money and wealth.

It’s hard to exaggerate how radical Jesus’ teaching was, so radical that we are tempted to either ignore it or explain it away. Few of us feel comfortable under its glare. Whereas we might be inclined to consider money a blessing from God, Jesus insists that Money seeks to divorce us from God, and enslave us. Money will try to persuade us that this is not so. Jesus urges us to choose between God and Money, Money will say we don’t have to. Jesus urges us to use money to help others, Money urges us to spoil ourselves.

If all Christians fully accepted Jesus’ teaching about money, and strived in all honesty to live accordingly, the beneficial impact for poor communities would be phenomenal. For a start, poverty within the worldwide community of the Church would be eradicated. Well over 200 million Christians would be liberated from the daily struggle to survive. Moreover, the Church’s capacity to respond to the needs of the poor outside the Church would be multiplied beyond recognition, and for countless millions the gospel message of God’s love would be powerfully demonstrated. Only God’s Spirit can produce such a reformation.

Lord help me to put my trust in you rather than money, and empower me to be extravagantly generous in responding to the needs of others.-Steve Bradbury.

Become a song writer!

For my practical exam in a couple of weeks- where I have to perform a number of songs and then have an adapting for different situations and then the examiner creates a new situation and I have to suggest how I'd adapt the song and perform the adaptation.
Anyway for the song 'Zombie' I've decided to write a lyric substitution for someone who's sick of being stuck in a bed because of illness. So instead of 'in your head' I'd have 'In my bed'.
So I thought I'd ask if anyone had any thoughts or feelings about having been stuck in bed, which we all have to some extent in the past (although some a lot more than me and a lot more recently) it would be helpful to make the song more realistic.

At the foot of intimacy.

Apparently, when young boys lose their fathers they like to walk around in their dads shoes to provide that missing feeling of intimacy.
Thought it was a nice image and reflects Jesus washing his deciples feet and Mary with the perfume on Jesus's feet as signs of intimacy. Also, in Ruth, the tradition of sleeping at the guys feet.

Secret life of Vincent

Vincent Van Gogh, the famous painter.

But according to a TV doco I saw about a week ago now there a lot more I bet you didn't know about this interesting character.

- Had a very extreme personality and obsessed with walking everywhere- even if it took a couple of weeks, in an old pair of boots because he thought it brought him closer to Jesus and the determination and pain was good for character.

- wanted to be a minister but dudes in charge weren't sure- so gave him a chance to prove himself and sent him to a mining town with really poor living conditions and moral standards (rape was common etc....).

-Instead of setting a perfect example like the church at the time expected Vincent decided to live like the miners and family's- didn't wash, wore the same clothes, eat the same little food hung out with them at the pub etc. And did some drawings with the coal.

-church didn't like this at all and that was no way for a minister to act. One of the nicer priests suggested Vincent should be an artist and that's what he did.

-lost faith though and rejected Christianity at least for a while

-was totally rejected in love a couple of times, apparently he wasn't very good looking.

- ended up marrying an old and very ugly prostitute and had already a few kids and swore and bad tempered which was all stuff he hated but she stayed with him and that's why he loved her.

interesting guy!

Wow!

Last weekend I satisfied my footy cravings for a while and after last night I'm completely musically satisfied that you could take away my piano and guitar for 3 weeks and I wouldn't mind at all(- except I have a guitar exam in a few weeks and I'd rather not fail that).

I can't believe how lucky I am sometimes- I reckon I had the best spot in the entire arena at 'Ben Harper and the innocent criminals'. Was right up the front, leaning on the barrier, slightly to the left of stage, right in front of the bass guitarist. Could see every thing except the drummer who I couldn't see for the basses sound system, but I could see everything else right down to a drop of sweat on Bens eye lid during a song. Had the best view of the guitarists and sometimes the guy on keys hands and all the instruments.

Being in front of the Bass was the best- funny guy. came right up to the edge of the stage a couple of times and did a little dance before having to put his hands back on the guitar and then me and 3-4 others copied his dance and he loved it chuckling to himself. He also pointed right at us 1st and blew kisses during his singing solo in 'steal my kisses'. I'd make a great groupie!!

As Andrea, my friend who was stuck right up on a back seat, said as soon as I saw her after 'We were totally digging the percussion guy'. This older man with the biggest grin the entire time going crazy and dancing around on the all the stuff he had was brilliant- almost made me want to be back in high school and in the percussion section of band again.

Everything was great and I could go on for ages so I'll shut up now, but I reckon Ben is such a musical nerd- I've seen the same mannerisms in so many musos and how he had his eyes closed so often and when he was playing he was totally in it he wouldn't have notice if the roof collapsed. He's the guy that can't stop playing and spent every lunch time in the music rooms! He just lives it.

Dad's Hobbies

For all those out there about to retire- my dad's various hobbies may be of interest, in case your worried of becoming board.
1. every week dad goes to the local library and borrows 4-5 'New scientist' Mags, - which I think he read all at least twice so he now also get a mix of new scientist, scientific American and scientific Australia.

2. Dad fixes everything around the house (you might want to be and ex-electrical engineer for this one- I'd end up blowing myself up!), don't remember us ever calling in a handy man or anyone to fix anything. And if there is nothing to fix he will figure out ways to improve things or just make some thing that he thinks we need- example- why buy a green house to grow vegies (mostly tomatos) when you can just make one out of an old swing set frame and some clear plastic.

3. Colecting free wood for our open fire- the wood pile out the back used to be the size of a small house and we got complaints about it being a fire hazard, so dad has stoped for a while and the pile is now the size (both horizontaly and vertically) of my beedroom.

4. AT the moment in our area it is throw out time and dads loving it. As soon as I got home this arvo he proudly showed off a painting he found of what he thinks is 'blue poles' by pollic. He knows its a copy but for what ever reason he felt he should pick it up and is now donating to an op. shop. But the number of broken things that have come home in the last few weeks from both my parents is quite amusing and this isn't the first time. All of our 5 toasters where once on the natures strip and dad fixed them, about 4 lamps, etc.

And Balnarring is completely decked out in ex-natures strip finds, op. shop stuff and stuff dad has created out of scraps.

So now I'm going for a drive around to find mum a nice mothers day pressie scince there are so many just lying around.

Sick of being Sick

Apart from 2 weeks in the middle I have spent this whole semester going through various stages of cold and flus. From a mild tickle in the throat to being completely out of it and even vomiting. I've had enough. Druged up at the moment on cold & flu tablets because I'm determined to get over it. Apparently everyone goes through about 6 months of illness after starting to work at a special school so that explains my lack of health and after this my immune system can take on the world.- until next year when I have placement in a hospital and then I'll go through it all again.

Busyness

We had a speaker last night at church from 'Forge' who raised a couple of interesting thoughts about busyness.

-Urgent and Important are different. Whats considered urgent is not always important and whats important is not always urgent.

There was another really good point I was going to tell you but I have completely forgotten it between when I clicked 'creat post' and now!

He generally talked about how always being busy is seen as a good thing in our society (even though we always complain about it). Find that when on holidays and get asked what I've doing and I just respond with 'not much' dosen't really provide much conversation. And at other times really annoys me when I can't find even a few free days to go down to Balnarring- often because of commitments at church.
As the bible says-
'Be still and know I am God'.

Footy Cravings

On Saturday I decided I had an overwhelming desire to go and see a footy match so in my usual spontaneous way I messaged everyone who I thought might be interested to see who was free a few hrs before the first bounce and learnt that most of my friends have their lives all planned out. Luckily Ash is as last min as me and we had so much fun- completely satisfied!!

Ash decided to drive all the way and, because at the moment I'm both broke and sick, I didn't complain! Of course we got lost- the next time one of my friends say they know where their going without looking up a map but have never actually driven there is my cue to get the melways out!! Lauras classic line of 'I know how to get there I've just taken us to the wrong street' on the way to the Davis cup is a good example.

When we got to the point when it was obvious we were heading away from the MCG we decided to pull over and check the map. Figured out a back way to the G to avoid the traffic and an area which stated 'construction vehicles only' but everyone else was parking there- free parking right next to the ground itself- getting lost paid off in the end!

Got our tickets to the Essendon vs. Richmond game, which a teams I don't go for, but Ash is Essendon so for the night I was a hard core Richmond supporter. Found 2 seats complete with a bunch of drunk guys behind a few rows yelling 'Go Frankston' and singing the Collingwood theme song. I had 1 beverage, Ash had a meat pie and I've concluded that when you have a head cold any kind of alcoholic substance is twice as effective!

But the best bit was the game- so close the entire time. Ash and were betting 5 cents per quarter. I won the 1st she won the 2nd, I was up after the 3rd quarter and the last quarter- both teams were sitting on 95 for what seemed like at least 10 mins worth of screaming. And to top it off Richmond won by 2 points!! And I won a total of 15 cents- which I generously allowed Ash to keep for petrol money. We stayed for the song- and I was bouncing around despite not having a clue what the words of the Richond theme song are- and by the end all I could sing was the 'Yellow and Black' bit, but I was determined to make the most of an opportunity to annoy Ash.

We've decided to do it again- and if anyone's else is willing to put up with me and Ash screaming our lungs out, your more than welcome to join us.