the state of gareth

jump.

2010-01-12T07:10:00.000+02:00

Great, fun viral video for the launch of Am I Collective illustration crew's Muti T-shirts. The music rounds it off perfectly.

Video: Rob Nicholls; music: Remy Gold.

Muti t-shirt launch from Robert Nicholls on Vimeo.

#cop15

2009-12-09T05:14:00.000+02:00

"if the world can finance trillion dollar bank bailouts why can't it do the same to prevent African and Bangladeshi children dying from climate change-induced floods and droughts?"

Good point! Crikey correspondent Matthew Knot on the negotiating battles going on at the Un's Copenhagen summit. Read his full article here.

obsessive thinking and pre-occupying worry

2009-10-08T00:23:00.000+02:00

An old Sufi story tells of a man who found a bottle with a genie inside of it. He pulled the stopper out of the bottle and with a huge puff of smoke, the giant genie was freed and would grant the man anything he wished for.

“But”, the genie told him, “I haven’t had anything to do for a thousand years and am starved for work. So, you must keep me busy or I’ll eat you.”

The man thought that he had been granted a wonderful gift and was sure that he could keep the genie busy with no trouble and would finally get his fondest wish granted. The man immediately told the genie that he had always wanted to have a wonderful castle and no sooner had he voiced it than the wish was granted and a spectacular castle appeared before him. It was the grandest castle in the world. He thanked the genie and promptly wished for some food. In a flash, the worlds best chefs appeared before him with their most famous dishes prepared and ready to be eaten.

The man sat down and started to eat when the genie bellowed, “The only thing that’s going to be eaten is you – if you don’t give me some work to do.” The man trembled in fear and quickly said, “Bring me the most beautiful women in the world to amuse me.” Once again, he was amazed to find that his wish was instantly granted and the room was filled with women of all sizes, colours, nationalities, and all spectacularly beautiful. He had just started to introduce himself when he became aware that the genie was licking his lips and looking hungry.

It was then that he realised that he was in real trouble and didn’t know what to do. He then made his first wise wish – “Genie, take me to the wisest man in the world.” In a flash, he found himself on a mountaintop seated in front of a little old man in a robe. He said, “I know you are the wisest man in the world because that’s who I wished to see and all my wishes come true, but now I don’t know what else to wish for and if I can’t keep the genie busy, he will eat me. Please sir, help me.”

The wise man told him, “All your wishes were selfish. What you must do is promise to share your wealth with everyone everywhere and I will help you.” The man quickly agreed as he became aware that the genie was sharpening up his knife and fork while putting a bib on.

The wise man pulled a hair out of his curly beard and told the man to give it to the genie and command the genie to straighten the hair and keep it straight. The man gave the genie the hair and the command to keep it straight. The genie held each end of the hair in his hands and pulled it straight. With a hungry look, he let go of one end and reached for the man so as to devour him. But, the hair then sprang back to its curly state. The genie then pulled it straight again, leered, and started to grab at the man. Once again, the hair curled up and once again the genie stopped his attack and pulled it straight. The man saw that he had finally given the genie a task it would never finish completing until he wished him to.

He thanked the wise man profusely and kept his vow for the rest of his days. And the man lived happily ever after.

***

If you happen to be in Cape Town this evening, Kev at Labyrinth is exploring century old spiritual tools to cope with obsessive thinking and pre-occupying worry. In his words "forward the invite to your friends - they get lost inside too!"

An economic-cultural crisis is in the works

2009-09-29T06:12:00.000+02:00

Guy Rundle has a couple of articles up on Crikey in which he proposes a post-capitalist system that "reverses the current relationship between culture/society and market/economy so that the former determines the latter and not, as currently happens, economy dictating to society and culture."

A neat excerpt:

2) Relocalisation and decommodification -- the current culture economy web of capitalism is based on an implicit social contract, that no-one ever signed up to. Under this contract you work longer and harder, while the price of essentials -- especially home ownership -- are ramped up into lifelong servitude to payment to institutions. The pay-off? Cheap consumer durables and entertainment services.

Forget the civilisational critique of this for a moment -- on its own terms, it pitches the whole society into trembling economic fragility in which a whole way of life is based on Xmas sales, and shopping becomes an essential patriotic activity.

Of course this can't continue -- but the expectations it has raised in people cannot be assuaged by any shift to a harsher economy. A half-century ago, you could get people to work 48 hours a week for a weatherboard, a radiogram, a pub counter meal once a week and three course meal when their daughter got married. Any breach of the current contract -- 50 hours in the office partition for $12 cocktails and DVD box sets -- ain't gonna fly.

Protestant capitalism cannot be re-established after consumer capitalism. And consumer capitalism cannot continue to sustain the Western economy. An economic-cultural crisis is in the works.

and later he says..

a left vision grounds itself ethically on the notion -- promulgated in the great religions, secularised by Kant – that humans should treated each other as ends, not means.

This is from the final part (part three) of Guy Rundle’s rather in-depth but interesting musing on the state of the modern Left, and it's vision of the future.
Part two - "The past and future of the Left" and part one - "The Australian can’t tell its left from right" are also online at Crikey.

Good friends, there's more spirit in a quake than a shake

2009-08-06T01:16:00.000+02:00

Here’s a fantastic newspaper article by Melbourne columnist Catherine Deveny of The Age, describing in a wonderful, humorous way her experience of visiting a Quaker meeting last Sunday. Her reflections are even more striking when compared to her experience and previous article about a mega-church youth event she attended.

This article helped me realise why I'm feeling more and more at home with the Quakers, those 'Selfish, power-hungry bastards'. Have a read and please do laugh!

AS I was leaving for the Quakers’ meeting, my mate said: "You need to get there 10 minutes early for the Unveiling Of The Relic".

"What happens then?" I asked.

"Well, the men with the beards, wearing the hoods, shave, brand and sacrifice the newest member, known as The Unclean, before they perform acts in the Circle Of Darkness on The Goat of Truth."

"So who quakes?" I asked.

"Everyone," he said. "Wear clean undies. Trust me."

A discussion then followed about what Quakers were, that, typically, ended up more about what they weren’t. "Aren’t they the ones with the big hats and buckles?" No, they’re the Pilgrims. "Aren’t they the ones who make furniture?" No, they’re the Shakers. "Well, are they the ones with the horses and buggies, Abe Lincoln beards and Little House On the Prairie outfits, who raise barns?" No, they’re the Amish.

Eventually, and after a mention of Uncle Toby (as in the oats), I was off for some red-hot Quaker action. And I was excited. In a grey carpet, fluorescent lights, lots of pamphlets, instant coffee kind of way.

And I wasn’t disappointed. There was indeed grey carpet, fluorescent lights, lots of pamphlets, instant coffee … and 20 chairs in a circle.

If you like sitting in a circle staring into space, you’re gonna love the Quakers. They’re the Claytons religion. The religion you have when you don’t have a religion. Because they’re not a religion. They’re a ‘‘religious society of friends’’. You don’t even have to believe in God to be a Quaker. You don’t even need to be a Quaker to be a Quaker. You can sign up and become a member, or just be an ‘‘attender’’. Jesus! Would it kill you to give me something to be scared of? I’m an escaped Catholic.

They don’t have a church. Or clergy. Or parishioners. Or a doctrine. Just friends, a room, and an ethos of truth, equality, peace and simplicity. Selfish, power-hungry bastards.

"Our worship follows no ritual or order of service. We gather together in a silent meeting, for an hour."

And so we did. Sitting round a coffee table covered in pamphlets with a pot plant in the middle, we mostly sat in silence. Part meditation, part group therapy, part sitting in a doctor’s waiting room.

Every now and then someone would say something about faith, journeys, occasionally even God. One woman talked about a Quaker meeting as a place you come to have your answers questioned. The idea is the spirit connects us all and anyone moved by the spirit can speak.

I was more moved by a dozen people sitting in silence than I was last week by a thousand or so being force-fed mumbo jumbo between power anthems at Planetshakers. I felt more connected to the man asleep next to me at the Quakers than the Planetshaker who spoke in tongues through a song about Opening Your Legs For Jesus, or something.

At the end of the meeting we all held hands and had coffee. I chatted with some Quaker friends who were lovely, despite their belief in an imaginary friend in the sky. They talked about how Quakers are about working it out yourself. DIY spirituality. And how the nature of people being attracted to spiritual anarchy made it difficult to get decisions made and stuff done at times. "God loved the world so much she didn’t send a committee," one joked.

I couldn’t help thinking there’d never be a Quaker terrorist cell. Their inherent non-conformity would make it impossible for them to be extremist about anything. I relate with them. The only thing I believe in is nihilism.

Quakers are mavericks. God, no God. Member, no member. Turn up, don’t. They encourage people to explore other religions. "Quakers do not have a fixed creed, but believe that each individual must find their own understanding of God, and is guided by their conscience in finding the way to live."

It’s hard to be cynical about the Quakers, but that’s not going to stop me. I kept thinking about comedian Bill Hicks talking about the anti-marketing dollar being a good market.

Despite the sensible shoes, serviceable clothes and no-nonsense haircuts, the Quakers know how to have a good time. They’re holding a ’50s night next month called Quake, Rattle and Roll. You gotta laugh. Or not.

What a fantastic column, and sense of humour! Catherine has a new fan!

it's gypsy music time

2009-07-15T02:50:00.000+02:00

Ever since my 'balkanology' experience in cape town, I've really enjoyed balkan-gypsy-ish music. it seems like australia-land does too. I went to a Cat Empire concert a while ago, and their support band was Paprika Balkanicus. Combine Balkan sounds with big band jazz and a DJ and you get a very fun night out!

In just over a fortnight's time, there's another Melbourne act coming to town - The Woohoo Revue - and they are combining with Canberra's Mr Fibby for a night of story-telling and musical goodness.

Apparently I should "Expect a big, brassy and very sweaty show from them and a theatrical performance from Mr Fibby that combines Eastern melodies with preposterous stories." Sounds like fun. More about the event here.

doubtful intelligence

2009-05-26T01:16:00.000+02:00

"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt."
-- Bertrand Russel

I love this quote. Seems to be true of most progressive people (and faiths) that I know. A big struggle within Quakers is that there is no emphasis on telling people what Quakers believe (because you can only find it out for yourself/there is 'that of God' within you) yet many of the young members' frsutration with the Society comes from the lack of explicit teaching of Quaker principles and values. How do you teach your truth humbly, with the knowledge that there may well be other 'right' ways, and the aim that people think for themselves?

Russel seems to be pretty sure of his intelligent opinions though!

still here (sort of)

2009-04-21T09:11:00.002+02:00

I'm still here, just wondering what to do with this blog of mine - close it, archive it or start a new one.
In the meantime, for more recent updates, follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/gbeyers

Quote of the day

2009-01-14T03:17:00.003+02:00

"When does the mandate of victimhood expire?" he asked. "At what point does the Nazi genocide of Europe's Jews cease to excuse the state of Israel from the demands of international law and of common humanity?"

Fintan O'Toole, the Irish Times' resident philosopher-in-chief, daring to speak the unspeakable.

If you aren’t tired of all the media coverage and speculation by western writers from their safe offices (like me!) , then you can read the Robert Fisk’s full article, Wherever I go, I hear the same tired Middle East comparisons, in The Independent here.

Fisk continues to say that “journalists should be on the side of those who suffer” – sounds like liberation theology to me.

For a visual representation of O’Tooles thoughts, see Zapiro’s two most recent cartoons.

And then, to balance it out, here’s another well argued piece in the Sydney Morning Herald, from a different point of view - It's too easy just to blame Jews.

Whoever is to blame, it is still a very complex and sorry situation. I hope the violence stops soon, though I’m not holding my breath. Ever since I was old enough to read, I can recall newspaper headlines about violence in the ‘Holy land’ region. When will we realise that violence is never redemptive?

smile!

2008-12-29T14:28:00.005+02:00

I've stuck up a few photos of our Sydney travels (Surry Hills and a capoeira roda in Newtown) on Facebook if you want to check them out. We're currently in Melbourne for new years adventuring... photos will be sure to follow.
More importantly, tomorrow i'm off to the MCG for the final day of the test match against Australia... where SA will (hopefully) make history and win the series! Who would have thought this possible after our dismal batting on day two? Forgive me if i have a smug grin on my face for the rest of the week!

the longest day

2008-12-19T02:20:00.004+02:00

On Sunday I'm playing in the Longest Day Beach Ultimate Tournament on Sydney's North Narabeen beach, with some friends from Canberra. Billed as Australia's top beach tourney, I'm looking forward to it - especially the boxes of fruit that they bring in for refreshments! Beach, sun, ultimate, fruit, ocean, summer... aah.. what more could one want?
Seeing how much we enjoyed Sydney last time, Julie and I are going to make a weekend of it. We found some budget accommodation at the Quaker House in Surry Hills, so are leaving tonight. Tomorrow we will squeeze in a capoeira class with Mestre Roxinho, ~~window~~ shopping on the colourful Oxford street, dinner in Surry Hills and maybe some more big city excitement.
Today is also the last day of work before the Christmas break, so this is a great way to celebrate the end of the year. Woohoo!

pearls of wisdom from c&h

2008-12-18T04:12:00.001+02:00

Calvin and Hobbes is one of my favourite cartoon strips. For me, it ranks right up there alongside the Far Side, Madam and Eve, and Zapiro. I think Calvin has a fabulous imagination, and ridicules 'adult' norms very well. Get your daily dose here.

Here are some priceless quotes for today:

Talking with you is sort of the conversational equivalent of an out-of-body experience.
~ susie to calvin

People who get nostalgic about childhood were obviously never children.
~ calvin

Looking out for Joy

2008-12-17T06:34:00.009+02:00

In a completely different vein to the last two posts, here's installment 2 of the Advent reflections on Joy for this week. (You can follow the whole series here.)

Oh, and i'm feeling a bit more joyful and inspired than last time. Last night i did a bit of creative writing, some quick charcoal sketches, and started to read The Little Prince again - all of which seemed to clear some of the clouds up.

Advent Reflection 2 - Looking out for Joy

Two reflective pieces to mull over as we wait with anticipation for the Joy of the world to come:

Unpredictable Joy

In the Gospel of John, Jesus sums up pretty much everything by saying, “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full” (John 15:11). He said it at the supper that he knew was the last one he’d have a mouth to eat.
Happiness turns up more or less where you’d expect it to – a good marriage, a rewarding job, a pleasant vacation. Joy, on the other hand, is as notoriously unpredictable as the one who bequeaths it.
~ Frederick Buechner, Wishful Thinking

The Guest House

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they're a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house empty
of its furniture, still,
treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing, and invite them in.
Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent as a guide from beyond.
~ Rumi, The Guest House

When did Joy unexpectedly knock on your door this Advent season? Was she alone, or accompanied by some friends? (Say, perhaps sadness, or peace?) And, how did you treat these unexpected guests?

sock and awe

2008-12-17T06:29:00.003+02:00

Play it!

My top score is 13.

size 10 shoe for Mr Bush

2008-12-15T02:56:00.005+02:00

I know this isn't good for world peace and all, but i had to laugh at this clip of shoes being thrown at George Bush in Iraq yesterday:

Shoes thrown at Bush on Iraq trip

Notice how well he seemed to dodge them, as well as the 4 security men that pour out of the door behind him as soon as it happened. (a bit too late, i might add)

Image from the BBC

(un-joyful) advent thoughts about joy

2008-12-15T01:32:00.005+02:00

I’ve been feeling rather uninspired and uninspiring lately. Something you may have picked up by the quality and number of posts. Quite a bad spot to be in, when you add in missing home, nostalgia about studying in the states, trying to find meaning in a new country, and some really big conversations about meaning, identity and spirituality. There seem to be some lights and the end of some of the tunnels, and I’ll let you in on them when I know what they are!

There’s also cool news about jobs for next year, furniture at home, and some pictures of our second Sydney adventure. When/if I get to them. Oh, and my garden now has some green tomatoes, capsicums and strawberries. No signs yet of any melons, and the rocket has aphids. There are pictures of them too (the garden, not the aphids), that I’ve been meaning to put up, but like I said, haven’t had a substantial amount of motivation or inspiration to get it done.

Deadlines and external pressure help in that regard. So I do have one piece of creativity that I can show for the last while - a reflection on Joy for Advent. I was asked to write 3 pieces for this week for a church. Quite an interesting task, since Joy is not up there with the many emotions running around in me head.

But I tried. Here’s the first piece… a bit cerebral and cynical, with some big words thrown in to show off, but true to where I am. Something to read if you are looking for an un-joyful Advent reflection on joy. (Hey, you never know what arb things people are looking for these days) ;)

Advent Reflection 1 - ‘Defining’ Joy

I’m not usually a supporter of ‘dialectic definitions’. Actually, I don’t really know if there is such a thing as a ‘dialectic definition’, but let’s pretend there is. What I mean, is that I don’t usually buy sayings such as, ‘you can only know peace if you have seen war’, or ‘only real sinners understand grace’ etc. The implication is that an emotion or state can only really be known once you have experienced its opposite or absence. For me, this type of reasoning seems too negative and dualistic.

However, this advent, my ‘rule’ seems to have met its exception in Joy.

I’ve been trying to ‘describe’ joy, and found that it is rather hard. The fabric or texture of joy is rather elusive. You either know what joy is, or you don’t. It’s not a propositional truth - something you can explain - but rather an experiential or relational truth – something you must experience. Hence my struggle in trying to reflect on Joy using words.

The only way I can come close to grasping the real texture of joy, is to place it alongside two other strong and complimentary emotions (themselves also rather hard to explain). So, let us begin our reflection on Joy this week by holding it alongside Sadness and Peace.

Although you would think Sadness is the opposite of Joy, it isn’t really. In a strange way, in times of despair the only thing that allows us to truly mourn, and still come out the other side, is that sliver of joy that seems to be hiding patiently, graciously, just below the surface of our lives. In my life, my saddest moments have often been a precursor to a renewed understanding of true joy and life.

When I rise up, let me rise up joyful, like a bird

When I fall, let me fall without regret, like a leaf.

~Wendell Berry, Let Me Rise

For his anger is but for a moment, his favour is for a lifetime.
Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.

~ David (?), Psalm 30

And then there is Peace. Peace is far more restful, controlled, and safe than exuberant, wild-partying Joy, but yet, there’s a common texture to the two:

Joy is Peace at play,

And Peace is Joy at rest

~ Anne Lamott, Travelling Mercies

Joy. It’s not the opposite of sadness, nor equal to peace, but it’s somewhere in there. It is an other-worldy state that can’t be drowned by sadness, nor quietened by peace.
Perhaps, like any real emotion associated with the mystery of advent, it is actually just grace by another name.

the positivity of kakness*

2008-12-10T07:21:00.000+02:00

This is beautiful!

I know you are not supposed to judge a book by it’s cover, but if there is one book I’ll buy based on the title alone, it is this one:
Is It Just Me Or Is Everything Kak?
The Whinger's Guide to South Africa - from AA to JZ

The co-author, Tim Richman, has just released a sequel, Is It Just Me Or Is Everything Still Kak? More than that though, he’s written an interesting post for SA Good News, on finding a way through the polar opposites of blind optimism and distrustful pessimism. If you are a South African concerned and/or hopeful about the country’s future, I’d suggest you read the short article. Here are some good extracts:

Grumpy, angry, annoyed, aggravated, disappointed, dismayed, irritated, irate, incensed, infuriated, indignant, outraged, ticked off, hacked off, pissed off - guilty as charged. When I'm stuck in traffic, standing in queues, dealing with my bank, listening to hold music, listening to Julius Malema, then I'm all of these things and more. (Who isn't? And what medication are they on?) But I'm also a generally positive guy who loves South Africa and celebrates the fact that he can call it home…

"If you scratch a cynic you find a disappointed idealist."

Cynicism has its localised appeal, there's no denying it. It can be humorous and even insightful, and when dealing with certain elements of life - advertising, estate agents, Telkom - a cynical approach is possibly the only way to stay sane. But people who live their lives as daily distrustful pessimists, always predicting the worst, are ultimately insufferable. Not to mention boring.

"Utopia" does not exist…(The word, invented by Thomas More in 1516, comes from Greek and literally means "not a place".)

So you can call me a realistic skeptic. Or a skeptical realist. Take your pick. It boils down to this: while I hope for the best, I also plan for the worst - which means I genuinely believe that our country has every chance of a bright future ahead but I'm not overly disappointed when the rand drops through the floor or Malema says something particularly stupid or the Scorpions are finally disbanded.

One thing's for sure: there isn't much humour at those outer ends of the scale, and at times like these you're going to struggle to survive if you can't see the lighter side of things.

You can find more info on the books from the publishers TwoDogs who print ‘South African books worth reading.’ They also have quite an interesting selection of books, including another catchy title: Why I’ll Never Live in Aus Again.

[*for the non-Saffers reading this, 'kak' is an afrikaans word used widely by english speaking South Africans. It's literal afrikaans meaning is 'sh*t', but when used by english people it approximates to a milder expletive, similar to 'crap', but with more emotion. (Isn't it funny how other languages feel free to use words that, in the original language, wouldn't be acceptable?)]

the Ultimate YMCA national convention

2008-11-28T03:22:00.005+02:00

I back on the Frisbee pulpit again this weekend.
(I'm assuming that to mean that my previous 'sermon' went down well.)
Australia's YMCA are having their National Convention in Canberra this weekend, including a multi-faith experience/service on Sunday morning. As the convention’s theme is ‘Active and Involved’, Gordon (who seems himself to be active and involved everywhere) thought it would be good to have a Frisbee ‘stall’ alongside the Hindus, Buddhists and Muslims.
So, after the Aboriginal smoking ceremony, and a welcome by Julia Gillard (deputy Prime Minister of Aus), delegates can pick two of the five ‘experiences’ to attend for this multi-faith service: Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism or Ultimate Frisbee!

Here’s my little blurb for the flyer:

Active and Involved – Ultimate Frisbee
Frisbee: (friz-bee) n. archaic – ancient fertility ritual involving graceful movements and the symbolic passing of a upturned round bowl. Accompanied by negotiations over alleged infringements or errors. Long abandoned by civilised societies.

“We used to say that Frisbee is really a religion - 'Frisbeeterians,' we'd call ourselves. When we die, we don't go to purgatory, we just land up on the roof and lie there” Ed Headrick, inventor of the Frisbee.

Ultimate Frisbee is not really a faith, but it is followed and played with as much devotion as if it were. Learn about the ‘spirit of the game’, how to play, and why it’s a great devotion to have. Perfect for being ‘active and involved.’

I’m interested to see who chooses the ‘Ultimate path to enlightenment’! ;) If you want to, we’re at the National Convention Centre in Civic spreading the good news of frisbee. The program starts at 9:00 this Sunday.

becoming myself

2008-11-24T08:05:00.001+02:00

A succinct Hasidic tale for monday:

Rabbi Zusya, when he was an old man, said, “In the coming world, they will not
ask me: ‘Why were you not Moses?’ They will ask me: ‘Why were you not Zusya?’”

saving lives

2008-11-23T23:56:00.003+02:00

The Journey
Mary Oliver

One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice—
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
“Mend my life!”
each voice cried.
But you didn’t stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations,
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do—
determined to save
the only life you could save.

Mary Oliver, New and Selected Poems

source: Inward/outward

Party-animal god

2008-11-22T07:07:00.000+02:00

And, here's the week's third and final piece on Joy for my advent reflections.
Party time!

Advent reflection 3 - A God of Joy

For the kingdom of God is not food and drink
but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
~ Romans 14:17

Of all the adjectives used to describe the kingdom of God, I’m rather surprised at the choice of Joy. Somehow my childhood images of angels playing harps on fluffy clouds, doesn’t really seem like Party Central. Wasn’t the joke that the party was always downstairs with the devil and all the good music?

Thankfully, the image of God as an old, boring, stern white man does not find any support in Scripture. In contrast, the God of the Israelites is a God who is full of Joy. We may even go as far to say that this God is a party animal God! It follows then that God’s reign/kingdom would be full of Joy.

What would be the overarching description that you would give you your experience of God’s reign? I hope that Joy is in there somewhere amongst the adjectives.

Let us reflect some more extent of this Joyfulness, and the celebratory God we serve:

In the Jewish Scriptures, where the notion of ‘the kingdom of God’ finds it’s roots, the Lord mandates 46 different festivals and parties for Israel in their year. That’s almost party a week!

In just the first 5 books (the Torah) of the Jewish Bible, God institutes 7 sacred festivals. What’s more, three were considered as ‘major feasts’: the Feast of Passover (Pesach), the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), and the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot).

These are often called ‘pilgrim feasts’ because all adult males were required to travel to the sanctuary to take part (Deuteronomy 16:16). There’s no VIP list, or ‘by invite only’ in this Kingdom. Everyone is invited, even mandated, to come to the party.

What’s more, if 7 days of partying wasn’t enough, when the 7 day Tabernacles festival ended, there was one more day of partying to celebrate the fact they had just had a week long celebration! Phew! It was called the Last Great Day, the 8th, an extra day of assembly. No work was permitted on this day and the people once again gathered at the Tabernacle to join their Joyful God.

This advent, whether your waiting is sad, nostalgic, peaceful, or at ease, may it lead you closer to the Joy of the promise of advent, when we can once more party and sing:

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing.

my alternative sports wishlist

2008-11-19T04:53:00.010+02:00

If, for some obscure reason, i was unable to play ultimate frisbee anymore, I have a mental list of a few other alternative sports I'd like to try my hand at:

parkour
adventure racing
moutain biking
rock climbing (my last climb was 3 years ago)

Capoeria is not on the list, as I'm already doing it. Extreme ironing never really excited me. Sports involving being underwater, or in the sky, seem to scare me. [Kudos therefore to my braver friends: Lu-dogg who has recently taken up kite-surfing, Nic who is a very experienced sky diver, and Dan the scuba man]

Anyway, I've just discovered a new sport that has some potential: Extreme kayaking.
Take a look at this BBC report of some ~~clowns~~ brave people who kayaked down a 300ft dam wall.

Phenomenal or phenomenally stupid? Here's the BBC's full picture and caption:

James Davies captured this image of extreme kayaking
at Llyn Brianne reservoir in Carmarthenshire. The activity
over the 300ft overspill has been condemned by Welsh Water,
which has threatened action. Photo: James Davies Photography, Swansea

Any other alternative sports out there that you have tried/want to try?
[rhetorical question to my non-existent blog readers ;)]

Images from the BBC/James Davies

travel advisory

2008-11-17T07:44:00.001+02:00

Quantas had a 2-for-1 deal on international flights yesterday, so Julie and I scooped up tickets home for half price. Hooray! We’ll be visiting for 3 weeks over Easter next year, and be back in Australia-land just in time for Aus Nationals in Perth. Unfortunately it does mean I’ll miss New Zealand Nationals in early April, but sometimes Frisbee has to take the back seat for family and friends!

I’m already looking forward to the visit. We’re going to be in Jozi, Durbs and Cape Town, so as to see all our friends that we miss so much. If you are in either of the cities, please pencil the dates in your diary (28Mar-18April).

Hooray

2008-11-05T15:33:00.001+02:00

He won!
Watching the news unfold at the Australian Labor Party's HQ with colleagues. McCain has just conceded graciously, now we're waiting for Barack to speak in Chicago.
Needless to say, we haven't done much work today (luckily most of the bosses were out).

For a laugh, Moby had a rather humorous post recently wondering where right-wing Republicans could emigrate to if Obama won. He concludes that Oklahoma, Iran or Saudi Arabia seems the only solace for them.

Quote of the day

2008-10-24T02:16:00.004+02:00

"you can't fire cruise missiles at the global final crisis."

NY Times' Op-ed columnist Nicolas Kristof explaining how the US can use Obama to rebrand itself and restore it's international reputation. "That’s not because we crave admiration, but because cooperation is essential to address 21st-century challenges; you can’t fire cruise missiles at the global financial crisis."

Well said sir.

Article here: Rebranding the US with Obama.

__the state of gareth__

jump.

#cop15

obsessive thinking and pre-occupying worry

An economic-cultural crisis is in the works

Good friends, there's more spirit in a quake than a shake

it's gypsy music time

doubtful intelligence

still here (sort of)

Quote of the day

smile!

the longest day

pearls of wisdom from c&h

Looking out for Joy

sock and awe

size 10 shoe for Mr Bush

(un-joyful) advent thoughts about joy

the positivity of kakness*

the Ultimate YMCA national convention

becoming myself

saving lives

Party-animal god

my alternative sports wishlist

travel advisory

Hooray

Quote of the day

the state of gareth