Beach Cricket

I love beach cricket. We try and get some in every holiday - and we play in such a way that "everyone is a winner!" My boy is trying a new bowling style - under his dad's instruction - and he got 4 beach cricket wickets! Legend!!

Holiday Reading

Holidays can be a great time to catch up on some reading. We have this great balcony with a fantastic view - the wind blows gently, the stool is the right height, the coffee machine is handy.... all the right ingredients for a great read!!! I am finalising a commentary scan of Ezra-Nehemiah - powerful stuff. You might think it boring, but there is always "gold" in the Word when you take the time and make room to go looking for it!!

Chillaxin!!!

Here is a view from our holiday balcony. Richard has got the idea!!!

iiiHome is Here - You're Invited to Come and See the Future

The future in audio visual integration is here!! The 'Intelligent', 'Innovative' and 'Interactive' Home (iiiHome) has now been opened within Videopro's flagship Fortitude Valley store, and you are personally invited to come and see all that audio visual integration have to offer.

The video presentation which describes what technology the iiiHome has to offer is found by clicking here. For the in depth media release, please click here.

Caption Please - Not for the Weak Stomachs

Add your comment here to Los Whit's blog question today!!

Must Have for all Men

Big thanks to Peter G for this lead!! Aprox $1800.

Hurricane Ike

Image of Hurricane Ike on September 10, 2008, taken by the crew of the International Space Station, flying 220 miles above Earth. Ike barreled into the densely populated Texas coast near Houston early September 13, 2008, bringing with it a wall of water and ferocious winds and rain that flooded large areas along the Gulf of Mexico and paralyzed the fourth-largest U.S. city. (REUTERS/NASA/Handout)
Check out some more great images here

Learning to Preach Like Jesus

Thanks to Rick Warren for shaping these thoughts!

Jesus’ preaching attracted enormous crowds, and the Bible often records the positive reactions of those crowds to his teaching.
Matthew 7:28 tells us, “…the crowds were amazed at his teaching.”
Matthew 22:33 (TLB) says, "…the crowds were profoundly impressed.”
Mark 11:18 (TLB) says, “…the people were so enthusiastic about Jesus' teaching.”
Mark 12:37 (NASB) says, “The great crowd enjoyed listening to Him.”

These crowds had never heard anyone speak to them the way Jesus did. They were spellbound by his delivery.
1. Jesus began with people’s needs, hurts, and interests.
Jesus usually taught in response to a question or a pressing problem from someone in the Crowd. He scratched where people itched. His preaching had immediacy about it. He was always relevant and always on target for that moment.

2. Jesus related truth to life.
I love the practicality and simplicity of Jesus’ teaching. It was clear, relevant, and applicable. He aimed for application because his goal was to transform people, not merely inform them.

3. Jesus spoke to the crowd with an interesting style.
The crowd loved to listen to Jesus. Mark 12:37 (NCV) says, “The large crowd listened to Jesus with pleasure.” The New International Version says they “listened with delight.” Do people “delight” in your messages? Jesus never tried to convert anyone with anger.

I don't think He did it like this!

DadFest 08 on Channel 9 News

Beggars in India

Here I am recently in New Delhi and Chandighar with some beggars.

I have travelled extensively around the world and have seen this alot. I train workers not to give them money. It makes sense not to give beggars money.
But this time I did - I had to! There was just something inside that made me do it. God was challenging my heart to be generous. It was my "time" to do this - and no one else around me was asked to do it.

I love this verse -
Then the King will say, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.' Matthew 25:40 (MSG)

Here is what Wayne Mansfield wrote recently in his
regular Maverick email about his experiences with beggars in India - some good thoughts here Wayne! I like this one...
"I can tell you it was a very difficult 15 minutes, until our car arrived, ignoring very skilled emotional sales techniques waged against me. As I closed the door of the car, a woman with her baby in her arms pressed against the glass imploring me to give her money for food. Whilst all the advice is to ignore what had just happened it seemed to me to be amazingly heartless to do so."

Celebration and Ministry Night - Yes!!

Tomorrow night is the night!!

I love our quarterly Celebration and Ministry Nights. It is were we hang out heaps longer with God - and when He turns up to touch lives.

Hope you can make it - Wed 6.44pm - USQ Main Auditorium - Springfield Central.
Honour the Lord with me! Celebrate his great name - Psalms 34:3 (CEV)
.... And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick - Luke 5:17 (NIV)

Are you coming?

My Best Travel Buddy

Check out the sealed cap - beautiful!
Look at the clear consistency! No colours! No green tinge. No aomebas. No bacteria!
Sheer basic life pleasure.
Pure drinkable water! Love it!
And my best travel buddy when going to developing nations.

PS - Travel overseas makes you just love your local council - they focus on roads, rubbish and water - the simple pleasures of life!!

PS - speaking of sealed water... when I worked in Switzerland in 2000 I just had to laugh. When you went to a restaurant the waiter would ask whether you wanted the water "still" or "with gas." Ha ha!!

Ed Stetzer and "Evangelical Gullibility"

I did a post recently called "Life After Lakeland: Sorting Out the Confusion."

Ed Stetzer - pastor, reseacher, church planter and author - did a great article reflecting on the current state of affairs at Lakelands - it is called "Evangelical Gullibility."

I really like this bit:
True revival is generally a messy affair. On the one hand abuses often accompany genuine works of God, and on the other hand much of what is called revival is nothing more than fanaticism. Courage is required to ask tough questions and do so with with grace and kindness, patience is necessary to wait and see if what is called revival bears lasting fruit, and theological discernment is critical for the church when it comes to awakenings and revival.

You can check out Ed's bio "here."

Life After Lakeland: Sorting Out the Confusion

J. Lee Grady is editor of Charisma. He wrote this insightful but sad article about the current spiritual revival at Lakelands in USA.

He writes:
"I still believe that God desires to visit our nation in supernatural power. I know He wants to heal multitudes, and I will continue praying for a healing revival to sweep across the United States. But we must contend for the genuine, not an imitation. True revival will be accompanied by brokenness, humility, reverence and repentance...."

I am still processing all this.

I spoke on Sunday AM in one of my message points about God's need of us to pray to seize God-opportunities. It is God's desire to move powerfully in our world and "worlds"... but He needs us to partner with Him.

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. - 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)

What do you think?

Beijing Olympics - 080808 - "Let the Games Begin!"

What an opening ceremony!!!!

I love what ninemsn wrote -
"One-fifth of humanity issued a heartfelt message on Friday night to the other four-fifths - we are ready to join you."

India Reflections and Photos - Coming Soon!!

Just got back from 8 days in India - had a blast - but had limited access to the internet to keep you updated with India reflections and photos.
So watch this space real soon!!

Zimbabwe issues 100-billion-dollar note

Ninemsn reports tonight that "Zimbabwe, grappling with a record 2.2 million per cent inflation, will introduce a new 100-billion-dollar bank note in a bid to tackle rampant cash shortages."

Read the full story here

This is just so sad!!

Do you think anything can be done?

Backyard Wembley... and a Reincarnated Glenn Hoddle

This afternoon my backyard was like Wembley Stadium in London. My son and I were playing soccer together and it was if the roar of the 95,000 strong crowd was all for us. This is what happens when we watch a "greatest goals" football DVD together the night before.

Here is a picture of our "Backyard Wembley" ....the trampoline makes a great set of sticks!

After the DVD I told my boy about my favourite player growing up - #10 for Tottenham Hotspurs - Glen Hoddle.
Glenn wore Le Coq Sportif boots with 8 studs - a revolution of the early 1980's - and I saw him score a cracker of a goal from about 35 yards against Liverpool. What a legend!

I scored a beautiful goal this arvo from a set piece move - curled it over the lemon tree - top right hand corner of the trampoline... I "bent it like Hoddle." I really felt like I was being a great father today.. ..

Point your kids in the right direction— when they're old they won't be lost. - Proverbs 22:6 (MSG)

Nothing is Black or White

This week's edition of TIME magazine has a great cover article about Nelson Mandella. It lists His 8 Lessons of Leadership.

They are all good... but I really liked #7 - "nothing is black or white."

Here is a bit of what TIME writer Richard Stegnel writes...

"...he would then give me a curious glance and say, "why not both?" .... the message was clear: Life is never either/or. Decisions are complex, and there are always competing factors. To look for simple explanations is the bias of the human brain, but it doesn't correspond to reality. Nothing is ever as straightforward as it appears.... Mandella is comfortable with contradiction...he was a pragmatist who saw the world as infinitely nuanced....Mandella's calculus was always, What is the end that I seek, and what is the most practical way to get there?"

"Life is never either/or"... what do you think?

Chair of Chairs!

I was sent this picture today by one of our team... an idea for a future purchase. Niiiice!
You can get more info if you click here

Here is what her spouse said in response to the email:
2 Problems
1. It might be a bit hard to get under your office desk
2. You would have to share it!!!

Here is some of the tease...... Deluxe Genuine Leather Massage Chair...... the RT-H09 deluxe massage chair. Blending the latest in technology with the strength and tradition of shiatsu and Swedish massage, the RT-H09 brings to the industry a new an powerful technique destined to be pleasurable for those that appreciate strong, penetrating massage. Six motors insure life long quality in the pure eurathane rollers that simulate the hand motions of a masseuse. And all presented in a beautiful contemporary design suitable for any area of your house without being too obtrusive.

Bring it on!!!