PEOPLE ARE DIFFERENT - ISN'T THAT GOOD?

ANYONE CAN BE A LEADER!

Here's the best quote on leadership I've ever read (outside the Bible):

Go to the people.

Live with them.

Learn from them.

Love them.

Start with what they know.

Build with what they have.

But with the best leaders, when the work is done, the task accomplished, the people will say "We have done this ourselves"

LaoTzu

THE FOUR CANDLES

HOMOSEXUALITY

Homosexuality is the most argued-about topic these days in the church. We are living in/through a 'paradigm-shift' in our thinking on the subject as the church has done in the past with issues like slavery and the leadership of women. First a clever take-off by Rowan Atkinson of the bad news:



See here for an imaginary interview with Jesus on this complex issue, and here for the best summary I've read on the subject.

Rowland Croucher

ENCOURAGEMENT

First, watch this (and be encouraged!) -

http://worriersanonymous.org/Share/OnlyYou.htm

Now read some of these articles on Encouragement -

http://jmm.aaa.net.au/catalog/keyword/e-4.htm

Shalom!/Salaam!/Pax

Rowland Croucher

ART

The Christian church has always held that God speaks to us, not only through Scripture or history or conscience or ultimately in Christ, but also in nature and in artistic creativity and our aesthetic sensitivity. Art takes the real stuff of life - complex, colourful but often discordant.

A work of art, said Denis de Rougemont, is a 'trap for meditation.' I like that.

HYPOCRISY

I have met pastors who have not been able to deal with the situation where their own views are at odds with their congregation's (or of permission-withholders in their congregations). It's a phenomenon, for example, where a racially progressive pastor in the American South is 'integrationist in their prayers but segregationist in their sermons'.

JOY

Notice how often Paul breaks off from his exposition of some doctrine or other and expresses spontaneous worship - sometimes even without finishing the sentence he was writing (eg. in Romans - 1:35, 9:5, 11:33,36, 16:27).

HOW TO BE HAPPY THOUGH MARRIED!

The Swiss have a proverb which underlines the element of risk in marriage: 'Marriage is a covered dish!'

For my basic articles about marriage start here. For a basic marriage enrichment procedure see here.

STRANGERS

(viewing them as Jesus would)

Here's one way: the famous YouTube video 'Free Hugs' -



One person wrote: 'Free Hugs Campaign is a great story about how an unknown Sydney band was discovered after its YouTube video took off. Now in the YouTube all-time top 20 after just two months, the video is shot in and around Sydney where Juan Mann starts offering strangers a hug. Inspired by Mann's mission, Shimon Moore from the Sydney band Sick Puppies videotapes the serial hugger.'

MUSIC - THE FOOD OF LOVE (AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH)

First, 'You Raise Me Up' - Morriston Orpheus Choir:



Listen to Nathan (cellist, age 11) gracefully commenting on Saint Saens' "The Swan":



And now an 8,000-voice Welsh Male Voice Choir:



And another:

YOU ARE UNIQUE/SPECIAL !!!

DEATH - AND CHILDHOOD DREAMS (Randy Pausch)

Here's a brilliant talk by someone facing death. Professor Pausch does not seem to be a Christian (he talks about karma for example), but his approach to death and dying is very healthy... See what you think:

IT'S A BEAUTIFUL WORLD!

This is the sunset at the North Pole with the moon at its closest point...

A scene you will probably never get to see in person, so take a moment and enjoy God at work at the North Pole. And, you also see the *sun *below the *moon.* 

***************

The Kapiti Coast, New Zealand

*****************




* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *













And listen to this magnificent music - Richter's rendition of Beethoven's Appassionata Sonata:



Perhaps you like the rugged beauty of Ireland:





An unusual alignment of the new moon with Venus and Jupiter 1st December 2008 provided this joyous visage in the skies, visible even to those in the inner city. Makes you feel like someone is watching over you! This was the view in Melbourne: someone tells me the moon is frowning, not smiling, in the Northern hemisphere! A granddaughter wrote on her Facebook page 'The Universe is smiling on me!'

And even if it isn't, you can smile: