Thursday, November 16, 2006

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."


I have been thinking that one of the hardest challenges people might have of living homeless on the streets, would be the cold nights. Last night was a freezing 5 degrees and we are almost into summer! How do people survive, it must be as much a mental torture as a physical one. My friend in London says homeless people die in the cold nights there, all the time.

I wonder what emergency accomodation options are out there? On the basis of just providing shelter for the night I wonder if the Japanese style Capsule Hotel, would be a good idea...?

It provides the most economical use of space, could be open all night, and provided with tea and coffee, it could provide a helpful specific service, that can then direct people to other services for longer term help.

Of course you would need to keep the men seperate from the women and children, either on two floors or have two different hotels. I would call one 'Bankruptcy Hotel' and the other 'Smaratan Station'.

Friday, November 10, 2006

Say What?

I went to visit a minister in the city, this morning. I parked out the front of the church and put my money in the meter to max it out, for its 1hr limit...

I came back out 1hr and 5mins later to see a Parking Inspector writing me a ticket. I walked up and said 'How're you going?'. He said "I haven't finished writing the ticket yet, so you're fine." Then smiled and walked off...
SAY WHAT ??!!

A: Has there been a proceedure change to issuing tickets?
B: Is he the only friendly Inspector in existence? or
C: Do I look sexyier than I think I do?

Friday, November 03, 2006

Sell Everything, Give to the poor...


Hi folks,
Tomorrow Sat 4th Nov, it's my garage sale :)

- All money made goes to the Homeless community.

I hope to have fun !

UPDATE:
I had a great day, bro!

7am to 9pm and I didn't notice the sun till I woke up burnt the next day. A fair few people came by and chatted. It was like a community social event. I met and chatted with the neighbours for the first time, which was cool. Also a fair few people chatted with me about homelessness and social justice, talking about their own poverty experiences, which meant it was a great learning-connecting-understanding day.

I raised a good amount for the homeless community and will ebay the remaining good items this week, then the rest to the Salvos. Rock'in.

The challenge now:
Is to work out the best way to give the money, to help the homeless, effectivly...?
(Let me know if you have an idea.)

Update: I gave half the money to a charity that works with the Homeless, but I really want to do something on a direct 1 on 1 basis. I have been told cash wont help, as it will be used on a short term benifit, that will not change their outlook. Also that if you buy them something they will only try and convert the item to cash, usually a refund. I was told by someone that after they bought a street person a cheese burger and walked away they then saw the person return to get a refund on the cheesburger... So what about taking someone to a restarunt, or putting them up in a hotel room for the night. Giving them some dignity and friendship, but would that help in a long term sense?

Sunday, October 15, 2006

Hot... Bed... Action!


Well I woke up early yesterday morning wondering who had put a hot waterbottle next to my feet? But no, it was only that my bed was ON FIRE !! I had fallen asleep with the lamp on, and it took advantage of the situation by deciding, after three months, to leap off the shelf... or did it...?

Who is responsable...?
- Was it a freaky accident?
- Did I try and turn it off in the night and bump it off, so tired that I don't remember doing so?
- Perhaps the hippy boys I live with were so angry at my waste of electricity on Thursday evening, when I dried my clothes in the tumble dryer despite the 35 degree heat, and that now I was leaving the light on all night... they are trying to 'accidently' get rid of me!?
- Is Satan trying to kill me, before I do my Faith Walk? He certainly has tried before...

Is it a sign from God...?
- Wrath? Maybe Jesus really never made a mistake!?
- Goodness? Perhaps fire represents the Spirit of God and Feet represent walking, and since I wasn't harmed, God is saying that I walk with the Spirit?
- Am I an Angel? Revelation CH10 talks about an Angel with feet of fire... sure the Angel also wears clothes of clouds and has a rainbow over his head, but 1 out of 3 is a start...!

How can I use the situation to my advantage...?
- Some new pick-up lines come to mind...
'Hey baby, my bed is HOT... and I can prove it.'
'Feel free to smoke in bed, I know I do...'
'Like my lamp, you will melt in my arms...'

What are the cultural References...?
- Midnight Oil 'How can we sleep when our beds are burning?'
- Psalm 119:105 'Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path' (could be another sign...)

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Was Jesus Perfect?

Today I had a ‘leading’ that I thought was from God, turn out to be incorrect. Gently tested, no mess, but still, a mistake. Right away knocking on my mental door came Doubt, Embarrassment, Fear and some guy who kept trying to analyse and second guess every other important decision I have been dealing with recently.

I wondered if Jesus ever made a mistake? And I hear you saying ‘Jesus didn’t make any mistakes, he was Perfect!’

But what does that mean? He was a carpenter, so did he make his first table and chairs perfectly the first go? If he did perfect carpentry, business must have been booming! His dad must have been pleased, nothing to teach, no complaints from customers, perhaps Jesus never even hit his thumb with the hammer, would God miss the nail? Was he a ‘know it all’? The Bible certainly says he impressed the Synagogue leaders when he was twelve. Imagine his school teacher: “Anyone, anyone.. ok Jesus has his hand up, anyone else?” Whenever there was a dispute did his mum just tell the other kids to ‘Go ask Jesus’. Was he unbeatable at cards and dice… another royal flush? ‘Jesus!’

He certainly wasn’t ‘perfect’ in his looks…the Bible says his appearance was nothing special. Probably not an athlete then, probably not a girl’s first choice for a date to the Bar mitzvah. Perhaps he even had a flabby tummy, it might have helped with his fasting. I wonder if some Jock boasted how he could bench press more than Jesus…

Being Human is learning from your mistakes. Not learning from your mistakes is being stupid. I guess looking at Jesus we need to equate perfection as ‘without sin’. And if sin and mistakes are different, then perhaps Jesus made some mistakes and was still perfect? Maybe we shouldn’t be so hard on ourselves when we make a mistake. And sins are forgiven, so there you go, no need to beat myself up so much. Tyler Durden has gone.

I think I’ll open the door to some Peace, Humility and Grace.

Knock Knock…Hello Jesus, perfect day… isn’t it.

(Disclaimer: I reserve the right to change my mind and say Jesus never made a mistake, the moment I feel God’s wrath may be on my back as a result of this blog…)


UPDATE:
I have been thinking about the story of Jesus's first miracle, changing water into wine. In that story, when the wine runs out, his mother says to the servants "Do whatever he tells you." This suggests to me that indeed Jesus does have a history for knowing how to solve difficult issues. His mother says 'Do', instead of 'try', and also 'whatever', and not 'if it makes sense'. She speaks with authority. She is saying that Jesus may give strange instructions but that they can be trusted to resolve the situation. This spoken authority can only come from previous experiences.

This also leads me to think that while John says this was "the first of his miraculous signs...", the 'first' may actually relate more to 'signs' and thus this act may not have actually been his first miracle, but perhaps his first public 'this is who I am' miracle/sign... His mother may have experienced him do miracles before, or she might just have total confidence in who he is.

Also I wonder about Jesus's feelings and midset at ths point. It is a much more important moment than the writers make out. A nice little story in hindsight, but if no miracle had happened then it would have been 'game over' for Jesus claiming to be the messiah, before it all started. I would have been thinking 'I hope this works...perhaps I'll do a little test in the back room, before I make this a public show...' But he has faith in God and himself (despite the timng not being what he was wanting [a whole other discussion]), and so he was probably thinking 'and were off and running!'

Thursday, September 28, 2006

Woo Hoo - Praise God!

God is great! He is the best! Praise him! YES! He is the best!
Yeah!!
No one is mightier than him!!!
Praise Jesus! Praise the Father! Praise the Spirit!
All Heaven sings his Glory!
Nothing for him, is not possible!
God, I love you!
My Father Clothes me!
My Father Feeds me!
My Father Loves me!
My Father watches down on me from on high!
He is a mystery beyond all understanding!
He holds me in his hands!
He guides and protects me!
He takes me to places and shows me things!
Love abounds within his presence!
The fearful shall fear!
And the wicked will run!
No corner of darkness shall not be flooded by his light!
For he sees all!
He hears all!
He knows all!
And nothing shall happen that is not his will!
Praise God!
Praise God!
Praise God!
AMEN !!!

Later in the night...
I'm shaking for the 2nd time today as God has just: Blown My Mind!
I am simply stunned and amazed!
How he works!
There is nothing like it!
WOW!

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

St.Irony

Well I was sitting at mass down at St.Francis on Sunday... St.Francis, a man for the poor, and a church full of the wealthy... And the priest dude gave a short talk about how we should respect and love the street people, the same or more than rich people... After the talk some more abra ka dabra... Then I was tapped on the shoulder, by a street person standing in the ayle, wanting some money... 'for food'. I offered to take him out for a meal but he said it was actually 'for entertainment to see a movie'... so I offered to take him to see a movie... then he said he would prefer me to buy him 'a music CD'... I asked what would he play it on? He said 'It's not for drugs'... I gave him some money... He moved on and spent the next 1/2hr walking around the church 'collecting' money... even as the service continued, ballsy. No one, besides the donators, paid him any attention, I guess it is a normal accepted part of that church culture...

So in a church for the poor, but full of the rich, was a sermon about loving the poor, and in came a poor man, who the rich ignored, he asked them for their riches, one rich man offered him relationship and respect, but the poor man only wanted his money, got his money and continued to hassle other rich men for money, interupting and disrespecting the service designed to get people to love and respect him...

Then everyone left with riches, and everyone left poor.

Sunday, September 10, 2006

Dreamer

Some dreams from my past...

BOUND
It was a party, and I was wheeled in on a vertical stretcher, bound to it, like Hanibal Lecter, yet the bindings were not visible. My whole body was paralyzed, I don't know why. Locked in my imobility I was even unable to blink; I had been this way for years. To my family and friends I was a vegetable, just a body, an empty husk, brain dead. But for me, I was completely awake. Able to see and hear all that was going on, but unable to connect, interact, give or receive acknowledgement. My family looked after me and made an effort to include me in their celebrations and occasions. But was the inclusion: a gesture for me, for who I used to be, for hope or for them. I don't know. Stood upright in the corner, barely noticed, I watched like a camera, recording.

WILD
I was just like a puppy, happy, innocent, human, but dancing around on all fours. Someone left the leash off, and I raced into the scrub land, behind our house. I rolled around in the dirt and smelt the flowers, what a wonderful world. My family came looking for me, calling out my name, there seemd to be some urgency, but I didn't listen, I was having too much fun. They left. Years past, I was a creature of the forest now, wild, but at home. Home... I seem to remember it, I decided to go back for a look. Suprise and joy from my family as they rushed around me, they were older now but still the same, a touch more grey. They wanted to get me in a bath and clean me up. Yuck. I dashed through their hands and back out to the fields, and into the forrest.

PAW
The warm sun shone brightly down on the desert road, as we all marched along in celebration. Jesus smiled as the band banged their tamborines, drums pounded and flutes fluttered. People were singing, chatting, spinning around, as we headed towards the town. I was exuberant and decided to run ahead to tell everyone that Jesus was comming. I sprinted over the hill and all the way into town. I ran to the hotel and around to the rear yard and looked around. There were a lot of people sunning themselves on deck chairs, and a huge pool stretched out accross from the hotel towards the back mountain. I started to tell people, "Jesus was comming, not far away now. Isn't it exciting, fantastic!" But there was no response, they didn't seem to notice me. I went to some others and told them too, but they kept reading their papers, snoozed, talked and laughed among themselves. Strange they were not interested, it was only the most exciting event about to happen, ever. I saw some guys splashing around out at the far end of the pool, I thought 'they will want to know, I'll go and tell them!' So I jumped in and started swimming. As I got there I started talking about the great news that Jesus would be arriving at any moment now, and it would be the biggest party ever. They listened, then laughed, and then started yelling abuse at me. One of the guys swam over and pushed me down. Under the water I could see the surface and tried to swim up, but every time I got near the guy would kick me in the face and push me back down. Soon the struggle was over, I drowned. No more breathing, I was suspended in the water, quiet and still, eyes open, looking up as my body slowly began to sink into the depths. The light, twinkling across the surface of the water, faded into darkness. As I drifted down I became aware of something stiring the water from below. Something very big was directly beneath me, and rising, fast. It slammed into me and kept rising, I was pinned down so tight, as the water rushed around me, that I was unable to move. As we neared the surface I saw that I was lying in the palm of a giant lion's paw! It was carrying me back to the surface. It was warm, I looked and I saw it's claws were long and sharp. We broke through the surface and I held on as it rose into the air. The guys in the pool were still laughing and splashing about, no one had seen them drown me, or no one had cared. Now I was angry and so was the paw. It swooped down and struck the men. They screamed. They died. People began to look up, but too late. I rode the paw of the Lion as its vengeance continued to strike down others. In the distance I could hear the music.

SOAR
I walked up the hill to where they were gathered. They stood at the top of the cliff, looking out over the lake, way down below. It was a group of about fifty people, they had been standing there for a long time, discussing how to fly. There were arguements about this method, that method, some dares to give it a go, but no one was willing to take the risk, after all, it had never been done, had it? I walked up and said "I'll show you how to do it..." and before they realized what I was doing I stepped straight off the cliff and started to fall. I knew it was not an act of science but an act of faith. You dont sit there forever thinking about how to do it, you step out and do it. As the wind rushed up by my face I stretched out my arms and began to glide. Out accross the water I smiled as I flew, just as I imagined, just as I knew. I banked to my right and circled around, in a wide arc, back up to the top of the cliff, I soared. I landed lightly at the back ot the crowd, with a big smile. They were buzzing and eager to talk to me about how I had done it. I was just about to explain about it when I noticed a friend at the edge of the cliff, and she stepped off. "No wait!" I hadn't told them how to do it yet! People stopped and starred in her direction and I rushed after her. Another man ran out infront of me and left straight over the edge, without hesitation I followed straight behind. The man infront stretched out his arms and began to glide. I stretched out mine and soared past him looking for the girl. She was further out in front barely keeping herself above the water as she glided towards the shore. I was exstatic! They had done it, they were flying, yes! She thudded down past the water and on to the grass. I landed beside her to check if she was alright. She was a bit ruffled but ok, suprised, shocked, but happy. Overhead the other man flew, fast and eratic. Something was wrong, he was out of control. I lept up and stretched out my arms to follow him. He went over the next hill and into a river with a splash. He didnt surface. I flew straight in and down into the dark and muddy water, looking for him, but I couldn't find him. Deeper I swam, this way then that, but to no avail. I was almost out of breath and I knew there were only moments left. I felt responsible, I had to find him. No time left, I twisted up and begant to surface. Just at that moment my wrist was grabbed by a hand of light. There was an Angel in front of me smiling, and she pulled me through the water with a great whoosh. She took me to where the man had sank and joined our hands, then was gone. I pulled up and we broke through the surface and onto the riverside. I turned him over and water poured out of his mouth. He started coughing. He was alive.

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

As Peter sank, Jesus reached out...

picture: St.Francis and St.Dominic

Today I heard an increadably good uplifting sermon *
A friend asked God to bless my night,
And I was blessed by an unexpected uplifting chat with a friend!

* MP3 - Sermon by Tim Costello on 'Judgement and other scary things'
- Please read the Bible passage about 'Lazarus and the rich man' first.
- Ref: Luke 16:19-31

Monday, August 28, 2006

Rock

The burdon drives me to my knees
It's all I can do just to kneel and breathe
But for how long...