Confabulation- is an impressively big word!

Confabulation- Where people create false realities which they completely believe to fill in gaps in their consciousness. Often occurs after stroke or traumatic brain injury where the part of the brain which creates new memories is damaged. (scary place to be- cannot manage to understand why your in hospital/ rehab etc. so brain has to 'make up' a reality to explain it.

Anyway, it's also thought that everyone Confabulates at least to a certain extent- we all make assumptions constantly without really thinking about it and how often do we sing the wrong lyrics to a song but fully believe we know the song so well (that recent song is 'I wish I was a pom pom girl'- got nothing to do with punk rockers!!!....I apparently have an unconsciously obsession with cheer leaders!)

How much do we do this with God- we don't understand completely the reality of God and life etc. So how often do we fill in the gaps?! Bit of a scary thought- but then does faith play a part were we just trust God to reveal himself to us and provide the growing understanding that we need/ can handle each moment?

Multicoloured Jesus

We sponser a little girl from Sri Lanka, and every Christmas I get sent a nice nativity picture that she has coloured in- always good to see how much her colouring abilities improve each year. (She's 5 and wants to be a docter and enjoys playing at home with pots! - ok enough bragging like a rpoud parent!:S)

What stands out for me though is the colour she gives human skin- bright yellow, Simpsons style, every year. Yellow must be how asian kids portray the colour of their skin! as kids I used to always go with bright pink for skin and the Suddanese boy from church coloured Jesus's face in with a black crayon- to the point were Jesus had no facial features.

Kids just colour Jesus the way they see the closest people around them (I'm not insinuating that people in Sri Lanka a bright yellow or that the people around me were bright pink). There's no political or biased reasoning behind it. And as good as it is to put Jesus in the context and skin he lived on earth- maybe we also need to see Jesus more in the people around us and their skin.

So what colour would I now chose to colour in Jesus's skin? Prob go with a brown pencil and lightly shade in to a nice consitancy- but maybe I'm just reflecting a nice Aussie tan that I see around me!?!

STM's

Short term mission trips= Boo!

I understand the reasoning behind this idea and to a large extent agree- then why am I doing a couple of short community stays in Vietnam.

Well to be honest I'm mildly torn-

Prob a lot of selfish reasons behind the trip- I like travelling. Was brought up on it and have seen a fair chunk of the world/ Aust. (still a heck of a lot to see!)

I enjoy it- and we always used to do things on the cheap (youth hostals all the way!) or stay with family so I at least slightly out of the touristy stuff.

So if I'm going to travel this is the way I like to do it- and hopefully I'll be of some help to a community along the way.

I really don't see this trip as my way of saving the world or giving back- mainly cos' I see that as more of a life long, every day thing that dosen't just happen on a few trips. For me this trip is more about challenging myself and throwing myself into an unknown and different situation to experience life from a different angle- and hopefully be a slightly better person for it.

Vietnam details

Just some more details about the upcoming trip to Nam.

Project 1- is with a group called 'Hands for Hope' located Near Ninh Thuan (just south of Nha Trang). There we will be constructing school rooms in a poor community and teaching English to the School children. (If they're smart they'll put me on teaching cos' I give the life anything I've built only a couple of days!).

Bike Ride- 5 days bike riding in the Mekong Delta (I'm slowly becoming more confident in my ability to suck it up and push throught the enevitable pain.)

Project 2- with 'Initiatives of Change' and located near to HCMC (Ho Chi Min)
Work is not yet finalised, but likely to include construction of community facilities.


There is also a request for Money to buy school equipment for the community at project 1. So if interested in making a donation let me know. (might see if I can org an offering a church.)

Sorry the pic didn't work- but I obviously suck at anything technological.

He looks like a baby! (na he's very cute Damo :)

J.C.

Congrates to Damo and Jo on the brith of Joshua Aaron!! HaHa- his initials a J.C! (Clayton)

I was getting impatient- 9 months can be such a long time, but its so good to hear their alright and have a little boy. (lets see if i can work out how to add an image)

thou shalt love

One last quote from 'Miricle on the River Kwai'

'With the despairing cry of 'I must be loved!' they would return periodically from the psychiatrist's couch to seek new partners and new problems. All the while their ears remain closed to the divine imperative, 'Thou shalt love!'.

We need to shift our focus from what we get- to what we can give.


Now reading a book called "the City of Joy" that follows 2 stories of a rural family who had to move to the slums of Calcutta in India and a Catholic priets who chose to live in the slums of Calcutta. Very interesting, sad, heart warming and beautiful all at the same time.

Cultural Clash

Watched a TV show where an American family went to live in rural Peru.

12 members of the Peru family had saved their urine for a couple of weeks so the American family could wash their hair.

What do you do in that situation. This was a gift and to refuse would be insulting but washing your hair in others urine is tough! (hoping theres no such customs in Vietnam :S)

Cool stat

Heard a stat the other day that '40% of younge Australians aged 15-25 do volunteer work'

I was impressed with that! (that means there's still 60% not doing anything but still 40% not bad at all).

Mine enemy is my neighbour

I like this story to- again from the River Kwai.

'These were the enemy, more cowed and defeated than we had ever been.
Without a word, most of the officers in my section unbuckled their packs, took out part of their ration and a reg or two, and with water canteens in their hands went over to the Japanese trian to help them. Our gards tried to prevent us, but we ignored them and knelt by the side of the enemy to give them food and water, to clean and bind up their wounds, to smile and say a kind word. Grateful cries followed us when we left.
An Allied officer from another section of the train had been taking it all in. "What bloody fools you all are!" he said to me. "Don't you realise that those are the enemy?"
"Have you never heard the story of the man who was going from Jerusalem to Jericho?" I asked him. He gave me a blank look, so I continued, "He was attacked by thugs, stripped of everything and left to die. Along came a priest; he passed him by. Then came a lawyer, a man of high principles; he passed him as well. Next came a Samaritan, a halp-caste, a heretic, an enemy. But he didn't pass by; he stopped. His heart was filled with compassion. Kneeling down, he poured some wine through the unconscious lips, cleaned and dressed the helpless man's wounds, then took him to an inn where he had him cared for at him own expense."
"But that's different!" the officer protested angrily. " THat's in the bible. These are the swine who've starved us and beaten us. They've murdered our comrades. These are our enemies."
"Who is my enemy? Isn't he my neighbour? God makes neighbours; we make enemies. whether we like it or mot, we are the ones who create the enemy and lose the neighbour. Mine enemy is my neighbour!"'

Ideal Ideals

Just reflecting on my Ghandi reading and from the 1 book I read he seemed like a pritty idealistic guy who was prepared to live up to what he believed. But how much good does being idealistic do?

There was one example about how he went into a Village that was suffering from many diseases that could have been reduced by a healthier more sanitary life. He went in there and helped and showed the people how the could live better. But as soon as he left they went straight back to their old ways!

In reflection I think that it's good to have some ideals and at least try to live up to them- but trying to make other people live in with your ideals is stupid and unlikely to work in the long run- they have to come to their own conclusions their own way and from their own experiences. But can challenge peoples thinking and open possibilities. Just like you can't force Christ upon others.

This quote from 'Miracle on the River Kwai' by Ernest Gordon kind of relates to what I've been writting about- I like it anyway. (may need to be in context to make any sense- Japanese prisoner of world war II camp).

Context-('"what would you expect in an ideal society, then?" I asked.
"My freedom," the Digger shot back at me. "My freedom to think me own thoughts and to live me own life the way I bloomin'-well fancy".
"That would lead to anarchy," said the Englishman quietly.
"And what's wrong with a healthy bit of anarchy, I'd like to know? Im goin' to use some of it when I get back to tell ole Menzies what I think of him for gettin' us into this mess."
"If everybody did that sort of thing where do you think it would get us?" enquired the Englishman.
"I might get us some peace, that's what!" came the Australian's voice from the darkness. "Trouble is, a bloke never has the chance to say what he wants. If all the blokes in the world were to tell the bosses in government that we weren't going to fight no ruddy more wars for them then we could stay at home and take the ole girl swimmin' at Bondi Beach"
There was general laughter and a murmuring of approval.
"That's what the League of Nations tried to do, wasn't it?" called out a voice with a friendly Glasgow accent.
"No it bloody-well didn't mate," retorted the Australian promptly. "Damn' few of the blokes in the world ever knew there was such a thing. It was all for them smooth-tougued bastards in spats and monkey suits- that'swhat it was for."
"Those chaps in spats," said the quiet English voice, "are our duly elected representatives".
"Not mine, they ain't!")

I asked the Australian, "How would you run things?" Let's hear what you've in mind."
"By not runnin' them," he replied quickly. "There's too many blockheads runnin' things as it is. The way things are the state controls us by force and says it does it for our own good. The difference between a tyranny and a democracy, as i see it, is one of degree- the degree of force that is used.""But we've got to have force to preserve law and order," a new voice broke in.
"No, we ain't!" said the Australian hotly. "We don't have to live by force, see! We only think we do."
"What do you mean think we do?" someone jeered.
"Blimey, we've all been told that, ain't we? That's why we studied history at school. History was just one bloody war after another to prove that the simple blokes of the earth have to be kept under control by force."
Explosive murmurs of protest interrupted him.
"Now shut up and let me say my piece," he said in a loud voice, and then continued quickly: "What we blokes have to do when we get back, see, is to say, 'We've had it. No more bleedin' force. We aint interested in keepin' on with the old ways.' What we want is for blokes to respect each other and work with each other."
"And how the hell do you think you're going to do that?" an irritated Scottish voice called out.
"By doing it- just by doing it. WE talk too much."
A sharp burst of laughter greeted this remark.
"All right- I'll give you that," said the Digger, unperturbed. "Me too. I talk too much. We do too little, though. WE talk about democracy, freedom, brotherhood, equality and all those words, but we don't do them, see?"I had to interrupt, "Wind it up, Digger. 'Lights out' is almost due."
"OK Well, what I've been tryin' to say is that it aint the state we want to support, but a community."
"What you want is communism!" a voice shouted out.
"No it bloody-well aint," Said the Australian indignantly.
"Communism just means being forced to do what the state wants and calling it quality. That's all it is. A community is people doing instead of yapping. It aint saying we are equal- its doing it so that it's real. It aint shouting about truth- its doing it. it aint barking about peace- its being peaceful. You get my drift?"Look at this here camp," he continued. "A regular police state it is- run by force. Cobbers like ourselves have been trying to follow the Nip's example. That's why we've been tearin' at each others throats. If you ask me, we might get somewhere if we had a little respect for each other and learned to share what we have.""Impossible- totally impossible," said the English voice authoritatively.
"Like hell it is. It's impossible only because you want it to be impossible. Whan a gang of blokes stand up and show what they mean by what they do- then you'll see changes being made."
The call of a bugle cut him short.
"You'll see the blokes executed," said the Englishman.
We broke up. As we walked away from the bamboo grove, the Australian's final words echoed in my ears:"...then you'll see changes being made."
"Yes," I thought to myself, "we'll see the Kingdom of God."'



Why do we assume its impossible to all humans not to live selfishly, voilently, without respect....etc. Maybe we should stop using sin as an excuse and see it more as a challenge- a challenge that needs continued work, self checking/ accountability.

Maybe you can't change the world, but you can change your world- and see the Kingdom of God. (I suggest you read the whole book for a good example of what that can look like)

Non-violence

Now finished the book on Gandhi and one of his main points, but not the whole thing, was based around the idea of non-violence no matter what the situation and in protest against violence. ' Non- violence is the child not of the cowardly but of the brave.'

Great idea- wouldn't it be nice if all humans could live like that- but when it comes to the crunch how would we go. Can't say that I've every really been the victim of violence- but if someone was bashing me up wouldn't I at least try to defend myself. Think Gandhi had a broader picture and confidence of life after death.
But is non-violence always pratical? Anyone who eats meat cannot completely submit to a non-violent life.

But was this what Jesus was talking about in Matt 5:39 'Do not risist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other one'. A passage that we so often decide that it's not meant to be taken liturally.... but maybe Gandhi understood and tryed to live it out better than most.

Chrissy card for Jimmy

I'm sending a Chrissy card to James in PNG and maybe some photos (apparently he's feeling a bit lonely) and thought that instead of everyone sending stuff, it'd be better if we all signed a message in the one card..... so if anyone wants to add a message or has any photo's let me know asap before I send it off.

Don't you love it when......

- you rock up to see a mates gig with his new band and find out that the band is one of your faves to listen to on triple J! Well thats what happened to me fri night. went to good old Ruby's to see to see my friend play and never clicked that his Jaded Temple band was the one I'd been listening to, to the point that the discussion on entrence went- so which band a you here to see? (me)- um, the one with Caleb in....? -Do you know the name of the band. (me)- um, can't really remember, but I think there is a P in the title. (where did I get the P from!!??!).
Top gig- enjoyed alot- enjoyed the percussionists dreds, longest I've seen and he used them to full effect, shaking his head around. I used to do my long hair in dredlocks and play percussion while in high school, so maybe I'm biased, but it was very entertaining.


- getting paided to bum around playing sport with a bunch of kids. Had my first sports party at work for a while- because being the only chick instructor they seem to think I'm the best person to work with the under 5's- which is also enjoyable but do like a variety of ages.
But for the first time in my long 5 year career- I thought I'd lost a kid! during the whole cake cerimony there was 1 less girl, her mum was checking the toilets and other parents where out in the car park .... I had to cut the cake for the other 14 kids.... but was starting to freak out and wonder how long you have to wait before calling the police and what was I going to do if she'd gone out on the road.... she was stilling in the corner of the bar area- not even hiding, just none of us could see her. - I sympathise with every partent thats thought they've lost their kid for even a second because it is not a nice feeling and see wasn't even my child.

- Having a really great time at work on sun with the place booked out for the foster child association. There were about 100 kids of all diff ages and a visit from Santa with gifts for the kids and face painting.
I was out with the under 6's again, and often there's 1 kids that just follows you around, always trying to get your attention etc. (happens in sports parties to, usually the less sporty kids just chat to you the whole time- which is fine till I have to go stop a couple of kid beating each other up over a ball). Never 100% sure how to handle this- don't mind but they do need to start to learn to interact more with their peers rather then just me- and I can't just give all my attention to 1 kid either.
On sun it was a 6yr old girl. she wanted to paint my face- but I'm not brave enough to let a 6 year old go lose with paint on my face, so she did an arm instead (very well to for a 6yr old!). While chatting to the official face painters found out that they we're all from a church just down the road and that they had sponsored the whole event!- impressed- a church that not only gives money to a group but uses their finacial recources to fund and help organise an event in the community.

( good fun being able to work with the boys instead of just having our own parties to organise- I'm very proud to say that I am very competitive at marks up, and ball piffing comps against 17yr old guys!!:)