Go here... Following the Cyclists.
Wednesday, 21 July 2010
Saturday, 17 July 2010
Hauerwas & Willimon - Resident Aliens.
"For Christians, the church is the most significant ethical unit." (81)
"The most interesting, creative, political solutions we Christians have to offer troubled society are not new laws, advice to Congress, or increased funding for social programs - although we may find ourselves supporting such national efforts. The most creative social strategy we have to offer is the church." (83)
Discuss...
Friday, 16 July 2010
Time
Shakespeare said;
"Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day."
It has been nearly a year since moving into this current flat. One year ago, there were three newly graduated homeless lads desperately searching for living space. A year on and things are lot more settled, but equally as busy.
This will be the first year since moving out of home that I stay in the same place for a second year in a row. Consistency decreases stress no end.
Summer holds a lot of excitement. Working for church goes all the way through until I have a holiday in September - and it is nice to think that I am not being totally lazy as has oft been the case during the student summers. Study continues at a far more comfortable pace. Hauerwas is currently excellent. In two weeks many people will be moving in or out of the flat, it's going to be a busy time. Sad to see Tom go, excited to welcome Andy in.
In September I'm off to Malaysia & Singapore - this is very exciting. I'll probably be working on some new blog to document the travels. More of this adventure to follow I'm sure.
Finally, I've sold my car. So far, liberating.
Wednesday, 7 July 2010
Guts
Opening prayer by Rev. Joe Wright at the opening of Kansas' Senate...
Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask for your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done.
We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.
We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.
We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.
We have killed our unborn and called it choice.
We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.
We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem.
We have abused power and called it politics.
We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition.
We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.
We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.
Search us, Oh, God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. In Jesus name we pray, Amen!
Saturday, 3 July 2010
Coffee.
As I poured my coffee this morning, I realised we'd run out of milk.
Not a problem - I like black coffee. It reminds me of holidaying in Swanage with the Menday's...
Tuesday, 15 June 2010
Friday, 7 May 2010
Saturday, 1 May 2010
C.S. Lewis - Surprised by Joy
I've been reading a lot of Lewis lately. If you haven't come across him, or if there is anything by him you have not yet read, I strongly suggest that you attempt to get him as high on your reading priority as you possibly can.
Here are two quotes - they are quite long, but do give them the time, they are worth it.
"We now settled into a routine which has ever since served in my mind as an archetype, so that what I still mean when I talk of a 'normal' day (and lament that normal days are so rare) is a day of the Bookham pattern. For if I could please myself I would live as I lived there. I would choose always to breakfast at exactly eight and be at my desk by nine, there to read or write till one. If a cup of good tea or coffee could be brought to me about eleven, so much the better. A step or so out of doors for a pint of beer would not do quite so well; for man does not want to drink alone, and if you meet a friend in the tap-room the break is likely to be extended beyond its ten minutes. At one precisely lunch should be on the table; and by two at the latest I would be on the road. Not, except at rare intervals, with a friend. Walking and talking are two very great pleasures, but it is a mistake to combine them. Our own noise blots out the sounds and silences of the out-door world; and talking leads almost inevitably to smoking, and then farewell to nature as far as one of our senses is concerned ...... The return from the walk, and the arrival of tea, should be exactly coincident, and not later than a quarter past four ...... At five a man should be at work again, and at it till seven. Then, at the evening meal and after, comes the time for talk, or, failing that, for lighter reading; and unless you are making a night of it with your cronies...there is no reason why you should ever be in bed later than eleven."
"Even in peacetime I think those are very wrong who say that schoolboys should be encouraged to read the newspapers. Nearly all that a boy reads there in his teens will be known before he is twenty to have been false in emphasis and interpretation, if not in fact as well, and most of it will have lost all importance. Most of what he remembers he will therefore have to unlearn; and he will probably have acquired an incurable taste for vulgarity and sensationalism and that fatal habit of fluttering from paragraph to paragraph to learn how an actress has been divorced in California, a train derailed in France, and quadruplets born in New Zealand."
Genius.
Here are two quotes - they are quite long, but do give them the time, they are worth it.
"We now settled into a routine which has ever since served in my mind as an archetype, so that what I still mean when I talk of a 'normal' day (and lament that normal days are so rare) is a day of the Bookham pattern. For if I could please myself I would live as I lived there. I would choose always to breakfast at exactly eight and be at my desk by nine, there to read or write till one. If a cup of good tea or coffee could be brought to me about eleven, so much the better. A step or so out of doors for a pint of beer would not do quite so well; for man does not want to drink alone, and if you meet a friend in the tap-room the break is likely to be extended beyond its ten minutes. At one precisely lunch should be on the table; and by two at the latest I would be on the road. Not, except at rare intervals, with a friend. Walking and talking are two very great pleasures, but it is a mistake to combine them. Our own noise blots out the sounds and silences of the out-door world; and talking leads almost inevitably to smoking, and then farewell to nature as far as one of our senses is concerned ...... The return from the walk, and the arrival of tea, should be exactly coincident, and not later than a quarter past four ...... At five a man should be at work again, and at it till seven. Then, at the evening meal and after, comes the time for talk, or, failing that, for lighter reading; and unless you are making a night of it with your cronies...there is no reason why you should ever be in bed later than eleven."
"Even in peacetime I think those are very wrong who say that schoolboys should be encouraged to read the newspapers. Nearly all that a boy reads there in his teens will be known before he is twenty to have been false in emphasis and interpretation, if not in fact as well, and most of it will have lost all importance. Most of what he remembers he will therefore have to unlearn; and he will probably have acquired an incurable taste for vulgarity and sensationalism and that fatal habit of fluttering from paragraph to paragraph to learn how an actress has been divorced in California, a train derailed in France, and quadruplets born in New Zealand."
Genius.
Thursday, 29 April 2010
Election debate - Closing Opinion
Well, that was a far more fiery debate.
BBC did us proud, and gave us the best debate yet (also helped by the main issue!). How did they all do? Well, here's my thoughts:
Cameron - He appeared more assured on the stage. His answers, however, left a little to be desired. He focussed mainly on attacking the Labour policies as opposed to actually proposing anything substantially new.
Brown - A man on the edge. He changed tack in this debate, and it showed. He seems to be severely worried by the recent polls. I do believe this is the last week of his Premiership.
Clegg - in my opinion he won. He was brave in proposing policies that are likely to be controversial and defended them well. He was also very willing to take the game to Cameron and Brown. This is the Lib Dems election - if they don't get somewhere quite substantial in a weeks time, then the country clearly doesn't like the colour yellow.
A little less commentary than last week... but what did you think?
BBC did us proud, and gave us the best debate yet (also helped by the main issue!). How did they all do? Well, here's my thoughts:
Cameron - He appeared more assured on the stage. His answers, however, left a little to be desired. He focussed mainly on attacking the Labour policies as opposed to actually proposing anything substantially new.
Brown - A man on the edge. He changed tack in this debate, and it showed. He seems to be severely worried by the recent polls. I do believe this is the last week of his Premiership.
Clegg - in my opinion he won. He was brave in proposing policies that are likely to be controversial and defended them well. He was also very willing to take the game to Cameron and Brown. This is the Lib Dems election - if they don't get somewhere quite substantial in a weeks time, then the country clearly doesn't like the colour yellow.
A little less commentary than last week... but what did you think?
Election debate 8
Q8: What would you do to ensure that the children in poor areas have the same opportunities in life?
Brown: We've now got nursery education & SureStart centres, child tax credits etc. That's how. We have to have personal tuition, kids staying at school, and therefore have more social mobility. Under performing school to be taken over by a succeeding school.
Cameron: Give the head-teacher control back over their school. Discipline is key - which is not happening now. Change all th crazy rules that stop teachers searching for banned items. We want choice diversity and excellence in our schools, let's get the 'big society' in and get parents etc. Need to get the basics right.
Clegg: take 2.5 bn from savings, into improve the education system. More one to one tuition, more help for kids before aged 8 to make things better for all children. Clearly a link between poverty at home and performance in classroom - it's that link that Lib Dems want to help solve - extra money for these kids, reducing the class sizes is one way of helping that.
Comment: This is a big, big issue - and not one that any party have done particularly well tonight. Clegg's noting and focussing on the need to fix the poverty problem first. Cameron is right that there needs to be less admin because it is at a stupidly high level. Brown is right that SureStart and other such initiatives are very good. But that does not help us to work out what they will do on a full scale.
Brown: We've now got nursery education & SureStart centres, child tax credits etc. That's how. We have to have personal tuition, kids staying at school, and therefore have more social mobility. Under performing school to be taken over by a succeeding school.
Cameron: Give the head-teacher control back over their school. Discipline is key - which is not happening now. Change all th crazy rules that stop teachers searching for banned items. We want choice diversity and excellence in our schools, let's get the 'big society' in and get parents etc. Need to get the basics right.
Clegg: take 2.5 bn from savings, into improve the education system. More one to one tuition, more help for kids before aged 8 to make things better for all children. Clearly a link between poverty at home and performance in classroom - it's that link that Lib Dems want to help solve - extra money for these kids, reducing the class sizes is one way of helping that.
Comment: This is a big, big issue - and not one that any party have done particularly well tonight. Clegg's noting and focussing on the need to fix the poverty problem first. Cameron is right that there needs to be less admin because it is at a stupidly high level. Brown is right that SureStart and other such initiatives are very good. But that does not help us to work out what they will do on a full scale.
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