forge intensives

just thought i'd put out the flier to anyone interested. This will be worth attending. I know it's in Melbourne for all you tasmanians, but the air fairs are cheapish these days. anyway here you go.

Worth a Watch

If your going to the movies, Nacho Libre is worth a watch. I've never been a huge jack black fan, but this ones pretty good.

We celebrated my 22nd and Ben's 26th birthday last night. Again I was quietly surprised by something of the kingdom of God found amongst friends while enjoying food and each other.
During the meal as a part of saying 'grace' we ask each other where we've seen God during the past week.
Josh my friend and I got talking about this. We talked about community, family and friendships. Out of this came a discussion as to what the Kingdom is. We got cut off.
I would love to hear thoughts about it.
- What is the Kingdom of God?
- What does it look like, feel like, taste like, sound like?
- When have you seen it in the past week/month?

Please share with me Josh, Grubb, Kegs, Mark, Pangas, and anyone else. Share your thoughts

Busking

Ah it's been a while coming, but we are finally going busking again. It's probably been 6 months since I did it last. Ben and I are going on Saturday. So head on down to the Launceston Mall some time around 12 and bring your shrapnel, and freely give to the "Josh and Ben society". Where your loose change is all saved up and spent on stuff. (necessary stuff)

When the shore was the edge

When the shore was the edge,
I wasn’t maddened by advertising sexuality to 6 year olds
I wasn’t surrounded by ways to sell myself.
I wasn’t driven by consumption.
Band-aids weren’t all I saw.

But now I stop to see that these shores I’ve never seen.
The coast keeps changing, sands keep shifting.
New was old. Which is worse?

In all of this how do I live?
Where is your face in the scenes of this shifting window?
How do I live?
Again I’m ship wrecked by indecision.

re-creating

Re-creating is a strange thing. I have spent most of this working day so far not working ironically. However I have spent some time flicking through various web pages, blogs and the like, I guess almost trying to figure out what it is that I (Josh) am about (also dismally failing). I struggle with being so diplomatic that I bend to everyone's wishes and in that seem to lose sight of what is really going on.(that's another story)

The weekend just gone was really encouraging.
Saturday was spent at a wedding, for the marriage of some good friends of ours. On Sunday a few of us had a meal, shared a bottle of wine, and reminded each other of what it is that Jesus did for us.
Also within the mix of various conversations, we discussed visions, goals, hopes etc. Within that conversation friends of ours made the plunge to initiate again another community of faith within their context in Launceston. It was exciting to see faces light up, smiles develop and dreams form within minds.

This morning however amongst all the web pages that I read about different people, communities and social justice movements. I found myself sinking to new lows, through comparing myself with others and comparing their ways with our ways.

I came to this realisation that:
Comparisons are the tools of those who are afraid to create.Josh

As we work at forming this little community and our own spiritual journeys, we need to ensure that we are following Gods ways. That we aren't just following the paths of those set before us. They were paths formed within different cultures and different people. We need consider them and review them, but we can't ever compare and then re-create. We need to create new ways.
We are to be reforming people, not reformed people

for some further background...

I'm getting really involved in this blog thing, it's been like 2 hours since the birthing and here I am... well I'm just caught in making it "ours" I'm figuring out all this geek Html crap and feeling really happy with myself. So happy in fact that I just can't seem to stop. Anyhow this is a picture of our wedding in June in Launcestons city park. Just to put faces to our names.
Ok this is it for a while.

Well, Well, Well

This is a funny place to find myself in, I've been converted to the way of the blog. In the past I've given my feelings regarding the blog quite openly. It's been a long journey, but here I am with my own. I realise this is only the first, I've got big plans for the future of this humble little blog (not for world dominance) but maybe it will continue on into the distant future...
So keep tracking with me, tell your friends and give me advice and feedback.
Stay tuned for updates on our little community in Rocherlea, for pics and poems, and ponderings.
Haha gee's I've set myself up for a big fall.
Maybe I should just say, why don't you check again and see if I've added anything else. Ha