Hope

"Just when i had made my today secure with safe yesterdays i see tomorrow comming with its pale glass star called hope it shatters on impact and falls like splinters of cruel rain and i see the red oil of life running from my wrists ontotomorrows headlines."

Spike Milligan December 1971

Psalm 19 - Wordspeak.

I've been enjoying the landscape of Geelong, and even more the sky-scape.

The weather is very changeable here at this time of year, with 10 mins of rain and then 10 mins of freezing wind, and 10 mins of beautiful sunshine (repeat infinitely). The land is flat, so you see a 'lot' of sky, and it is vast.

The sky brings unstoppable forces of water, wind, fire, light and darkness. It directly affects us as it meets our skin, as we breathe it in, as we observe its great delivery of life-giving light, gravitational effect, rain, and seasons to name a few.

Psalm 19 starts off with an observation of this grandeur and attributes it to God's glory. The heavens tell His glory and speak of it all day long, and all night long. You can't avoid it's declaration. The sky declares irrefutable power, Unchangeable patterns of continuity, heat that you cannot hide from, awareness and revelation of contrasts, sustenance that we cannot do without, and our powerlessness to change it. The sky achieves all this without words, without speaking, without a voice.

After this reflection, the writer draws our attention in contrast to another revelation of God and his Glory. One that is greater and affects more deeply. One that has power to affect not only the physical situation, but the spiritual, cognitive, and eternal. God's Word is the focus now, in his revelation with speech. His Word first used in creative power to form time, energy and substance is now brought directly to the objects of his creation in restoring grace, comfort, wisdom, enlightenment and salvation. Let's have a look at how the writer saw this greatness.

The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul;

He saw a Word which was soul restoring. A soul with just the sun, moon and sky as revelation does not have a hope, or any certainty in life other than based on the continuum of yesterdays that a tomorrow will happen, and the sun to rise again. Death is still certain. Pain is still real. Joy is still lost. The Word of the law which Israel has directs them to the character of God, and his relationships in the past with his people. This gives a better hope, a life and a restoration. Everything in this revelation declares a God who undoes the mess we do. A God who saves, who comforts and restores his people. All the ceremonial, moral, and civil law, and all the words of reminder restore a soul who would otherwise have fallen out of fellowship with the God of the universe.

The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

Just as the sun comes up every day, testifying to the continuity of life as we know it, the testimony of the Lord makes wise the simple. What can we depend upon other than something that is proven to be trustworthy. What is wisdom if it is not a distinction of which testimony is more important than another, and a discernment of which testimony is trust-worthy. This discerning person makes choices and takes actions based on that trust-worthy testimony and proves themselves to be wise. God testifies and his testimony is true. The evidence is history, and this in His Word is the testimony that changes the simple person to a wise person.

The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;

What kind of instructions give anyone joy? So often we see people calling God a kill joy or a fun-stopper. But the writer finds joy in his deepest heart by these instructions. These instructions give meaning and joy by clearing a way through all the options of how to live that is satisfying, productive and - well - rejoicable!

The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.

Based on this trust-worthy testimony the now wise & joyful person takes in the instructions or commands of the Word of God, not in un-reasoned illogical obedience, but based on the trust-worthy testimony doing the wise thing of following the commandments. These - the operators manual - provide the 'lightbulb' moment. These instructions make all the parts look like they belong, that there is a place for everything. They really do make the wise person see the world in a different light. They are pure and enlightening. They are correct and unmistakably clear. The commandments of the Lord do enlighten the eyes.

The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;

The wise and enlightened person who is filled with the testimony and commandment of the Lord is a long way better than the one who just has the sky for revelation by now. Their purpose, their confidence, their past, present actions are all assured. The writer now moves on to some future and eternal consequences of this revelation. The Fear of the Lord is pure enduring forever. This is the response to the revelation of the Glory of God. It isn't a to-do list of 'make God happy' items. It isn't a meditation of transcendence. It isn't a 'she'll be right mate, make the most of life till I kick the bucket' way of life. It's an acknowledgement of His Glory. It's a submission. It's a trembling of sorts. It's awe.

People call a lot of things 'awesome'. Kids call McDonald's thick-shakes 'awesome'. Teenagers call thrill rides at theme parks 'awesome'. But they're not. The sky is awesome. But worthy of far greater awe is the One who reveals his Glory and character by them. The same One who reveals his heart and mercy directly by words. The fear of the Lord is to acknowledge and trust what he has said to be true and, as a response, to live by it.

Fear of the ocean is the beginning of not drowning in it, but Fear of the Lord is the beginning of eternity with Him.

The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether.

Don't be a blamer or a hater - you can't change or question the judgements of the Lord. they are pure and clear and completely righteous. His perfection in judgement is faultless. The standard of judgement matches the standard of the revelation and meets it completely. There may be no place hidden from the heat of the Sun but more certain is that there is no place hidden from the true righteous judgement of God. By the fear of the Lord the righteous stand in this judgement, and all others will fall by it.

I'll leave the rest for your own meditation.

Moreover, by them Your servant is warned;
In keeping them there is great reward.

Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.

Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins;
Let them not rule over me;
Then I will be blameless,
And I shall be acquitted of great transgression.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord , my rock and my Redeemer.

san francisco

San Francisco is a beaut place to visit - today i rode up to twin peaks - you can see market street in the distance, heading towards the sanfrancisco bay and the city centre.

and on the way home saw a nasty crash where police were in attendance. Of course the only item of interest was the super cool police bike!

Lunch at the rose

beautiful winter in sydney

Riding to work in the winter has some special benefits.

You can connect with the freshness of the morning.

You see the world waking up.

You freeze your ears off.

You see the sun starting to work its warmth on the land.

flat cap

I now have a flat cap. I am pretty sure that somewhere back in the recesses of my memory i have images of my Pa (paternal grandfather) wearing this kind of cap.

In 1571 an Act of Parliament to stimulate domestic wool consumption and general trade decreed that on Sundays and holidays, all males over 6 years of age, except for the nobility and persons of degree, were to wear caps of wool manufacture on force of a fine (3/4d (pence) per day). The Bill was not repealed until 1597, though by this time, the flat cap had become firmly entrenched in English psyche as a recognized mark of a non-noble subject!!!

Flat caps in wikipedia

10 minutes of bliss..

no it's not what you think!

It's the last ten mins of stage six of the tour of Switzerland.

Woohoo..

It's all downhill from here!

how u rule

Most aussies appreciate the castle!

Blokes everywhere have aspirations for leadership and authority. Sometimes it's at work, sometimes at home, but every man wants to build and rule a castle of some sort. We wonder how to get there, how to do it right, how we would spend our time and authority.

When it boils down, we really can only be master of ourselves... and even at that we do a pretty poor job.

David lets us see his way of ruling a kingdom. And it starts deep within himself. Psalm 101 gives us a picture of how a mans kingdom is built. Lets have a look.

Verse 1 - David immerses himself in the character of God, - his loving-kindness and justice. He sings it and is passionate about it. This is a foundation building block for a strong and fortified personal kingdom, because these characteristics of God are the ruling characteristics that seek the best for others, and righteousness.

Verse 2 - The next thing he does is look closely at to follow or "give heed" - and he pays attention to follow the blameless way. So his actions begin to follow the character revealed by God in verse 1. He asks for God to be near and seeks him. "When will you come to me?" He pleads - seeking special community with God. David makes sure that the way he behaves at home is "integrity" of heart. Now we begin to see it's come from personal to family life at home. David demonstrates in his home what it's like to imitate God's loving-kindness and justice and the blameless way.

Verse 3 - How often do we put in front of our eyes worthless stuff! Stuff we want! Stuff we think we need? A better bargain? A pointless piece of trivia! or some worthless entertainment. Our example here flat out refuses to put these things before himself. He's not being "holier than thou" but just keeping focused. David knows what happens when you chase this worthless stuff. You fall away, and he "hates the work of those who fall away." David is very careful not to give the devil a foothold, or to allow anything to catch him so that he may be ensnared. A kingdom or a castle can't be weighed down by these things, or it will be built all out of shape and have serious problems!

Verse 4 - Further to this theme, David takes special care with the company he keeps. He puts perverse people away from him, and refuses to know their evil. His kingdom will be paying heed to the blameless way and not the perverse way or evil way.

Verse 5 - Now he starts the battle against pride and slander. Davids pure kingdom in his own heart, and in his home and in his family will not stand for this kind of behaviour. He fights it so that it will be smashed and utterly destroyed. These battles a man must face and conquer to establish a rule of justice like he sings about in verse 1.

Verse 6 - David expands the focus of his kingdom even wider now to the rest of the land. He seeks the faithful to dwell with him. He really wants the BEST company of people that seek the same good from the same God as himself. He even seeks the ministry of other blameless people. This fellowship we should not give up. Pray that the Lord will find you this kind of company to establish your kingdom and work with you in its establishing!

Verse 7 - Sneaky stuff! Sometimes we have to be super aware that there are lies and trouble that can creep in through sins deceitfulness, and the lies of others. And he puts people away from him who are false. If you want a kingdom of integrity of heart, it's got to extend to the integrity of those around you.

Verse 8 - Will it never end!!!!??? Every morning it's hard work. And involves a lot of destroying of wickedness - and purifying the City of the Lord. If you want a city in a kingdom that is pure, you've got to clean up the streets. Bring every thought captive to Christ Jesus.

Brothers in Christ - be strong in the Lord and and in his mighty strength. Establish a kingdom in your own heart and mind first built on these things, and then pray for grace and loving-kindness to flow out to all those around you so that the Kingdom of God comes on earth as it is in heaven.

Another generation of Dr Who fans!

UKTV Special for dr Who this weekend

Seniors card

Sometimes it's hard to make the most of your old age when you can't find your seniors card

Casey and leo

Going to a dress up party!

Rescue!

I read 2 Peter 2 today, and amidst the furious warning against false teachers i found a gem.

2 peter 2:9 "the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials"
Another version uses 'temptation' for 'trials'.

In the middle of the trials and temptation of these false teachers who distort the truth and take advantage of people and try to fill our minds with lusts and we have a massive promise to hang on to. The Lord rescued Noah, and he rescued Lot, proving that he is able, and compassionate toward his faithful and godly children.

So take heart and realise that although you're in amongst a wicked and perverse generation, and everything in the world seems offensive to you, as you become more sensitive to sin and aware of the Holiness of God - that He will Rescue you.

Dragons in hospital

There be dragons in hospital today but it isn't the ward sister. My eldest pick boy got a hat and dragon nrl mascot. They don't know we're infiltrators from bankstown!

Better

I feel much better now. And will go to work tomorrow now that I've got it all together at home.

Oops wrong rodent

While convalescing at home with a sore everything, I get rodent watch duty. I think the codine must be affecting my judgement!

Awww thanks mum

Mum you're a sponsor! And i didn't even ask.
A size smaller and a little stiff at first but a much more supportive fit.

I arrived at peter bundy cycles at 7am... He's always there at crazy hours building new frames or lovingly restoring some 20 year old heap that a customer has found on the side of the road..

We got to talking, and I got late for work, hand over the credit card, sign away then rush off to be pleasantly surprised at the discount later.

tell him he's dreamin

I would really love to have a transportational project.

I don't have much cash. So it is not going to be easy.

But by the inspiration of Wheeler Dealers and "A (insert transport here) is born" discovery channel series - here's my wish list of restoration.

1. Damo's brumby.

In an effort to learn something, perhaps i should start by helping out with someone elses restoration project. Damo is restoring a Suby brumby like this one.

2. 2Wheels

TRX 850 or other non-harley vtwin.

3. Toyota MR2

without the bling stuck on this one..

hey, i'm allowed to dream.. and my 7yo. wants to help.

family car - don't get comfortable in the garage, you're not stayin there for long, and may never see the inside again.

lil' cup o happiness

Every morning i need a little something to get me going.

I unfortunately have a substance addiction - pictured here.

But it's my little cup of happiness in the morning.

But it doesn't do much beyond getting things moving.

It doesn't change the reality of the day, or my attitude to facing it.

So i need something deeper each day. Today i was blessed to be reading about my 'portion' in ps119:57, and it turned me to psalm 16.

My portion and my cup aren't so small. The psalmist is taking refuge and knows that apart from the Lord they have no good thing. And they're delighted to be around the saints.

I ought to recognise the Lord as 'always before me' And that my inheritance is delightful.

My inheritance is only partial at the moment, because i'm not dead yet! but A death has already taken place to secure my inheritance. And i know the path ahead.

Instead of increasing sorrow of the people who run after other gods, whose sacrifices and name are useless, the Lord assigns me a portion. I don't need to chase it. All i need have before me is the Lord, and he sorts out the rest.

I pray for you to have a glad heart and a rejoicing tongue this day too with more than just a little cup of happiness.

Creation song.

This is Ellies song. - she wanted something on creation, and mumford and sons are the fav.. band at the moment.

Same meter as 'the cave' by mumford and sons, and a whole bunch of other bands.

The sun comes up to warm each brand new day

The green earth and the blue sky fill with praise

All creatures great and small

depend on you for life each day.

Chorus 1

So I... will praise your name

Your power is clearly seen

Your work in earth and heaven

declare your glory now.

Chorus 2

So I will sing out loud

Your love is all around

Your Son the Risen Lord

Declares Your glory now

The wonders of creation fill my mind

You made me and i'm wonderfully made

Each part of me is crafted by

your wise and loving hand.

The sweet air fills the night sky all around

The stars are bright and too many to count

My last thoughts will be praise

And thanks for Your gifts new each day

Nice work mum

My mum built me this awesome cajon drum. I do wish i had better rhythm to play it.

Psalm 121

I lift my eyes to the hills
where does my help come from?

My help comes from the LORD,
Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip
watches you without sleep;

He who looks after you
He will not slumber nor sleep.

The LORD watches over you
your shade at your right hand;

The sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep you from harm
he will watch over you;

the LORD will guide your ways
both now and for ever-more.

So thats psalm 121 to a 7,6,6,7 meter (well close enough anyhow.)

Pinched the bass line from Donny Hathaway's "The Ghetto", lifted a few bpm, and pick a few pentatonic notes for the words, and hey presto - a new song for the youngsters.

Here's something i prepared earlier. a new tune to immortal invisible ( an old hymn )

Baby number 4

After three kids its time for one that don't need nappies.