Your name is safe in the mouths of those who love you.

I did the talk at the Commencement Service of the Rochester & Rutherford Hall at Canterbury University last night. R&R is a residence hall with around 180 students - I'm one of the part-time chaplains there.

Here is an excerpt...
A friend sent me an email with some quotes from children on love… some are hard case and some are quite profound…
Karl - age 5 'Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on after shave and they go out and smell each other.'
Chrissie - age 6 'Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.' Emily - age 8 'Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mummy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss' Bobby - age 7 'Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.' Lauren - age 4 'I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.'

This one in particular stood out…
Billy - age 4 'When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.'

I think the reading we heard from Isaiah is fundamentally about God saying that our names are safe in his mouth –
I have called you by name and you are mine – whatever goes on – the ups and downs, I will be with you, I will never leave you or abandon you.

Whose mouth is your name safe in?
How might you minimize the risk of someone using your name in an abusive manner
or in a way that diminishes you?

As a church minister I get to do a few interesting things – one of the highlights was when I was invited to be a part of an evening series of talks aimed at the Year 10 girls and their parents, on the subject of sex.

The other speakers were talking about body and health things but the Principal wanted someone to talk about values and stuff like that, and I was asked. What an opportunity!

The reaction from the girls when I mentioned anything to do with sex was really quite wonderful… and the reaction from the parents was equally good.
The girls went ‘ooh’ and the parents… well, they tended to look at the floor!

I figured that if the minister dared to talk about these matters in a frank and open way then the girls and their parents might find it easier to talk
– because it is better to be able to talk about it than have it treated as something shameful.

Among the things I put to the girls were these observations:
Guys see having sex as a conquest more than girls do
– do you want to be a notch in some guys belt?
Guys are more likely to talk about their sexual exploits than girls
– do you want to be talked about in that way?
Guys are more likely to name their sexual partners
– do you want your name being broadcast in such a way?

I was talking to a bunch of girls but what I was saying is equally relevant to guys…
Do you want to be the kind of guy who treats women as objects to satiate your desires?
Would you want your life-partner to also be understood as some sort of trophy in another guy’s cupboard of memories?
Would you like it if your sister or daughter was understood diminished in this way?

The point is this: Is your name going to be safe in the mouth of the person you are thinking about being intimate with?
Be careful. In the journey of finding yourself, which is so much of what university life is about, don’t lose yourself.
Don’t settle for something less just because you now have incredible freedom.
In what ways can you let the words and actions of ‘I love you’ always be something precious in your life.

thoughts on balance

I got a bit excited on Sunday... (in the sermon that is)...
"Balance. The Giver of Life calls us to a life of faith as a response to all that is given – balance.
I will be your God – and you will be my people. “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” [Deuteronomy 6:4-5] Balance – I and Thou. And, “Love your neighbour as yourself.” [Leviticus 19:18] – more balance.

We also have a sense that we creatures are to live in balance with the creation – there has to be some balance in how we live so that this earth can continue to sustain us.
There are many signs that we have are not living in a balanced way.
We pollute the air and are seriously undermining the delegate structure of the earth’s atmosphere.
We take from the land more than we give back to it.
We seek short term profit at the expense of sustainable living, and we expect others to have less so that we can have more.
Love your neighbour as yourself is a call to balance.
And God balances things… w
here we are cautious God is reckless
– a party thrown for a lost sheep,
a boy welcomed home,
a party and people invited from the edges of the town…
a woman allowed to pour precious oil on his feet as she wipes them with her hair.

Where we offer a half-measure, God counters with cup running over.
Where we say no to people God says yes.
Where we are half-hearted God counters with total self-giving.
Where we say ‘I will love you if…’ God says ‘I love you anyway!’

The unforgiveable is forgiven,
the betrayer is kissed,
the weak are held up and the strong have a few truths pointed out.
Balance.

Not blandness, not mediocrity, not the soft-option
– but an extravagant counterculture of grace.
That’s God’s way – that’s the way that the church,
called into being by Jesus, is to live – extravagant grace.

Bushfire

My thoughts & prayers have been in Victoria this week. A friend sent these images...

a 737 taking off from Melbourne

The boy with no shoes

William Horwood's books have long been among my favourites - in particular Duncton Wood, Skallagrigg and The Stonor Eagles. It has been interesting, in reading this book, to see how his early life experiences shaped the approach he took to his novels...

There is a lot of heart in this memoir - as well as courage and hope... it is fascinating to reflect on how at just the right times in his early life he had caring adults about him who believed in him.

Of anything Horwood has written, this story could easily be turned into a film, a film to rival Frank McCourt's Angela's Ashes.

BIG DAY OBAMA!

I got to the tv at 5am and enjoyed watching the inauguration. I liked the lower key nature of his speech - facing reality rather than campaigning... quite appropriate.
Happy next day when the hard work begins!

Get on your boots

"The future needs a big kiss…"

That’s the opening phrase on U2’s new single… yeah - that's got to be the hope for people who pray 'Your kingdom come'! And of course, the future is a big kiss!
Listen to it at: http://www.last.fm/music/U2/_/Get+On+Your+Boots

U2's new album No line on the Horizon comes out in early March

Alice Walker letter to President-elect Obama

Open Letter to Barack Obama from Alice Walker Nov. 5, 2008
Dear Brother Obama,
You have no idea, really, of how profound this moment is for us. Us being the black people of the Southern United States. You think you know, because you are thoughtful, and you have studied our history. But seeing you deliver the torch so many others before you carried, year after year, decade after decade, century after century, only to be struck down before igniting the flame of justice and of law, is almost more than the heart can bear.
And yet, this observation is not intended to burden you, for you are of a different time, and, indeed, because of all the relay runners before you, North America is a different place. It is really only to say: Well done. We knew, through all the generations, that you were with us, in us, the best of the spirit of Africa and of the Americas. Knowing this, that you would actually appear, someday, was part of our strength. Seeing you take your rightful place, based solely on your wisdom, stamina and character, is a balm for the weary warriors of hope, previously only sung about.
I would advise you to remember that you did not create the disaster that the world is experiencing, and you alone are not responsible for bringing the world back to balance. A primary responsibility that you do have, however, is to cultivate happiness in your own life. To make a schedule that permits sufficient time of rest and play with your gorgeous wife and lovely daughters. And so on. One gathers that your family is large. We are used to seeing men in the White House soon become juiceless and as white-haired as the building; we notice their wives and children looking strained and stressed. They soon have smiles so lacking in joy that they remind us of scissors. This is no way to lead. Nor does your family deserve this fate. One way of thinking about all this is: It is so bad now that there is no excuse not to relax. From your happy, relaxed state, you can model real success, which is all that so many people in the world really want. They may buy endless cars and houses and furs and gobble up all the attention and space they can manage, or barely manage, but this is because it is not yet clear to them that success is truly an inside job. That it is within the reach of almost everyone.
I would further advise you not to take on other people's enemies. Most damage that others do to us is out of fear humiliation and pain. Those feelings occur in all of us, not just in those of us who profess a certain religious or racial devotion. We must learn actually not to have enemies, but only confused adversaries who are ourselves in disguise.
It is understood by all that you are commander in chief of the United States and are sworn to protect our beloved country; this we understand, completely. However, as my mother used to say, quoting a Bible with which I often fought, "hate the sin, but love the sinner."
There must be no more crushing of whole communities, no more torture, no more dehumanising as a means of ruling a people's spirit. This has already happened to people of colour, poor people, women, children. We see where this leads, where it has led. A good model of how to "work with the enemy" internally is presented by the Dalai Lama, in his endless care of his soul as he confronts the Chinese government that invaded Tibet. Because, finally, it is the soul that must be preserved, if one is to remain a credible leader. All else might be lost; but when the soul dies, the connection to earth, to peoples, to animals, to rivers, to mountain ranges purple and majestic, also dies. And your smile, with which we watch you do gracious battle with unjust characterizations, distortions and lies, is that expression of healthy self-worth, spirit and soul, that, kept happy and free and relaxed, can find an answering smile in all of us, lighting our way, andbrightening the world. We are the ones we have been waiting for.
In Peace and Joy, Alice Walker

The real America - a John Oliver perspective

If you want to be scared and humoured all at once take a look at this John Oliver interview (from The Daily Show with Jon Stewart) out on the campaign rallies of Obama and Palin.
http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=189163&title=Obama-and-Palin-Rallies-of-Fear

I think John Oliver is quite wonderful!

YES!

YES!

Thank God, yes!

Now, can he be given room to do what he needs to do? I hope that he can wrestle the powers and not be too wounded by them.

go Barack go!

Less than a week... come on America - take the step into someone offering a hopeful difference - even we little ones in New Zealand aknow that this one matters - and anecdotal polls over here suggest we are over 75% sure that you have to go with Obama for President! Do it! And if you are Republican and you are just not sure then if you can't vote for Obama then at least stay home and don't give the world Sarah Palin. Don't trust the wink!

hope in the younger generation

A colleague sent me this - thinking that I would find it resonated with some of my points of view.

He and I agree that it is in the vein of the Australian cartoonist Michael Leunig's work.

Anotherland

Dave Dobbyn - one of NZ's finest musicians has released his new CD, Anotherland. I wondered how he would move on from his acclaimed Available Light album, but he has - this time with some blues-style horns and deep dug spirituality. I'm loving the album more and more as I listen to it.

You can check Dave out for yourself on his website: http://www.davedobbyn.co.nz/anotherland.html

Little People

I discovered a great blog - someone's creative angle on the world through little people 'installations' in the cityscape. Here are a few pictures... this person has a way to go to get 'up' to the level of Banksy's social commentary though the McDonald's spaceman 'Life as we know it' is getting there (see the site http://little-people.blogspot.com/)

watermark community church

I found the following YouTube ad on the Ship of Fools page... I've been looking at doing some advertising for our church - the biggest trouble is whether we can deliver... we're just not great exponents of the 'prosperity gospel' - our budget is too small and we are just a little bit unwilling to deliver whatever people want...
I don't know, maybe it is just this dumb idea we have that Jesus should shape us to his way rather than we shaping him to whatever suits us.
But this ad... it is amazing... I might join because I want a world trip and just can't afford it...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAg1rRbxrGY

Across the Universe

Ahh... finally - my pick for film of the year (even though it was released in 2007).

This week we went to Across the Universe, directed by Julie Taymor. It was brilliant!

The music - all Beatles songs (33 I believe) well sung by the cast with very groovy arrangements, that fitted into the clever story... the costumes, choreography and sets were excellent... even Bono made a cameo as Dr Robert. If you haven't seen this movie and you like the Beatles or lived a bit in the 60's (or wished that you did!) then watch it. It is out on DVD in the Northern Hemisphere but on at the Academy theatre in Christchurch, NZ.

I bought the CD today (deluxe version as it has more songs)... truly wonderful!

The Moody Blues

I've been in a Moody Blues phase of late... purchased a few CDs and pulled out others. Along with my brothers, I prefer the pre 1972 albums, up to the time they went into a four year recess and Mike Pinder left (Mike is my favourite 'Moody')

The albums I have brought are A Question of Balance, Days of Future Past, and In Search of the Lost Chord. Probably the only songs known by most people are off the 1967 Days... album (Forever) Tuesday Afternoon and Nights In White Satin. The sleeve notes of these remixed CDs add to the experience.

My favourite Moody songs are: Ray Thomas' For my lady, & Legend of a Mind and Mike Pinder's When we are freemen & Melancholy Man.

The album of that era I find the most inaccessible is Threshold of a Dream - mainly, I suspect, because I didn't ever listen to it when my older brother sent me Moody's tapes in my later teenage years in the late-70's.

The only Moody's LP I ever purchased for myself was 1981's Long Distance Voyager - I love the opening track Justin Hayward's The Voice and his Forever Autumn song on Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds musical is a long-standing favourite song.

Is anyone 'out there' a Moody's fan?

Vacation Over

I haven't really been on vacation (apart from a wonderful week in Sydney, Australia) - I'm involved in a process in our church that has mostly kept me silent. While it is still going on and I haven't heard anything, I've decided that I'll blog anyway!

Three things that have pushed my buttons:
1. World Youth Day in Sydney. While Anne and I didn't go over to be 'pilgrims' in this mega Roman Catholic Youth festival (Pope Benedict included) - we did enjoy catching up with our German 'daughter' Hannah who was a pilgrim - and mostly enjoyed the buzz in the city. What intrigued me the most (and this probably reflects NZers unease with flag-waving) was that the pilgrims mostly wandered the streets in their ethnic groups, singing and chanting as they waved their national flags. I would have thought they would have been more interested in mixing together - I'm sure that must have happened, but it didn't seem to be happening. I don;t believe we will address the world's concerns or even celebrate the Christian faith by flag-waving.
Nevertheless, the colour and vibrancy was neat, the city was grand and the heightened police presence was a welcome and pleasant security.
2. a few good novels - Water for elephants - a very thoughtful and readable adventure in a 1930's circus train - highly recommended! My name was Judas by C K Stead (a NZ novelist) - while from the angle of modernist skepticism it is an interesting perspective on the whole Jesus adventure that I am aware many buy into, thus it is useful to trawl this particular ocean. And, Mark Haddon's A Spot of Bother a fun romp into the messed up lives of a British family and their rising above their troubles.
3. William Stringfellow - I'm reading Free in Obedience again and just love his provocative perspective on the church. The book was written in the mid-60's in the US - he addresses the church and its role in the city and its too willing participation in death (denial of Christ's sovereignty) - I'll get back on this as I read more.

ducks

All the ducks are swimming in the water!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8yx4k4tzqE

Mart hits 47 years with his favourite music from last year

Another birthday has passed… as I have done for the last three years, I compiled the group of songs that I have enjoyed the most this last year. The list is not in order of preference, but in order of what I think makes a good mix. I don’t listen to the radio to find new music – it is much more hit and miss than that, thus the collection comes entirely from cds at home… I don’t know why I put this list up on the blog… musical taste is so subjective, why would anyone want to listen to what I listen to? Before you run off and buy anything I’ve listed, do ask yourself that question!

#1 The Decemberists The Crane Wife Pt 3 (from The Crane Wife) My daughter Hana introduced this – for Anne, Sam, Josh & I it is a Gold Coast, Australia song – we hired a car, we had one CD, this was the opening track.
#2 Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova Falling Slowly (from The Swell Season & the movie Once). This just qualified – Anne and I watched Once just three weeks before my birthday.
#3 Cowboy Junkies December Skies (from Early 20th Century Blues) The album is made up mostly of covers – it is my favourite Junkies album… this song starts with references to September 11 – sadness and lament for humanity as the 21st century gets underway.
#4 Crowded House Pour le Monde (from Time On Earth). Crowded House are back – we saw them in concert and they didn’t play this song! What confidence to leave the best track out from the play list. What a problem having so many good songs to choose from!
#5 David Gilmour On An Island (the title track from On An Island) We have watched the live DVD more than listened to the CD and had to include something from the maestro.
#6 Liam Finn Second Chance (from I’ll Be Lightening). Liam Finn’s quirky debut solo album is a masterpiece. He goes into strange territory with his rhythms and excels.
#7 Natalie Merchant Motherland (the title track from Motherland) Her participation in the Junkies Trinity Revisited led us to seek out this album.
#8 Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds Into My Arms (from The Best of…) A moving love song.
#9 The Decemberists Summersong (see above)
#10 Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova When your mind’s made up (see above)
#11 Cowboy Junkies Misguided Angel (from Trinity Revisited) This album is a musical and visual feast… 20 years on the Junkies revisit their second album and the church it was recorded in and do the same set with several other musicians in attendance, including Natalie Merchant and Ryan Adams. The DVD has been watched over and over again.
#12 Crowded House English Trees (see above)
#13 Eric Clapton & Billy Preston Isn’t It a Pity (from Concert for George) A year after George Harrison died a band of friends got together and gave a concert… wonderful stuff! The Junkies covered this song on Early 20th Century Blues and I was torn over which version to include.
#14 Liam Finn I’ll Be Lightening (see above) This song is verse, verse, verse & chorus… strange and brilliant with Neil Finn on bass.
#15 Eric Clapton with Paul McCartney While My Guitar Gently Weeps (from Concert for George) Eric bleeds for his friend – one of my all-time favourite songs.

kingdom of God

I was talking about the kingdom of God with the youth group the other night... I suggested that the kingdom way is more often seen when you are on the way, living into its way, than seen for what it is by a wondering bystander (and of course as soon as you begin to see it it turns out to be bigger than you could ever imagine and thus something you will never really get).



I shared some little examples of how I live in the kingdom way... like my attitude at the supermarket. Quite often when I'm walking through the car park, if I see a trolley left where it souldn't be, I walk it in and put it away even if I have no use of it myself. No one sees this, no one cares whether I do this or not... I don't do it to score points with people, to feel good or even think that God will treat me any differently than God already treats me... I do it primarily because I live into another reality where I treat people as I have been treated by God in Christ... Someone might need that parking space and a trolley is in the way...

someone has to collect the trolleys, at times in some pretty horrible weather, and I imagine that that person having to go and get a trolley from some obscure corner of the car park might feel resentment towards others and might find whatever job satisfaction they have harder to find on that day...

so I serve...

I try to live this way in all facets of my life and fail on most fronts most days... but God is not finished with me yet...