I just finished reading Phillip Jensen's Sermon from Friday night. On Monday there was an article written by Kelly Burke in the paper which was wasn't very nice to Phillip. Then on Tuesday there was this article which also wasn't very nice. I don't much like Kelly Burke's article. She seems to have it in for Evangelical Christians in general and Jensen's in particular. I haven't seen her write a firendly article yet.

I didn't really mind his sermon too much. I thought it was alright. It seemed to be very "Sydney" like (which is probably what you'd expect from Phillip Jensen), but that isn't always bad. As someone commented to me yesterday, it may not have been the best sermon to preach as ones first as Dean of the Cathedral. I can see how it would piss people off. Maybe that's ok, but I would be tending towards being offensive in week two. First impressions count and it would be a shame to get yourself ignored because of your first sermon.

But as far as the sermon goes, it didn't upset me.

It's emphasis was on the preaching of Christ. He said: "The Cathedral pulpit in the centre of the city, the suburban pulpits scattered across the whole metropolitan area, are critical in the free and unfettered proclamation of the gospel." I would agree with that statement. But I would want to say that an effective pulpit ministry must be backed up by more than just boldness and sound theology but also by (and I'd say most importantly by) a life lived in service to Christ, His followers and the world. The gospel lacks all substance if it can't make a difference in the lives of those that believe it. The sermon seemed a lot about talk, without much walk. I agree with the talk but I would pray for boldness to do the walk.

We went to Botany today to get Robert's camera fixed. Now it is. And now I'm home.

I'm getting my toe operated on in the 25th March. Yay. By April my toe will be fixed and I can start my career as a contemporary dancer again.

I left my phone at college. I feel so naked without it. Naked. Exposed. Nude.

Did you know that Naked in Hebrew rhymes with Cunning? It does.

That's important to know eh?

Haven't I been a good blogger today?


Yes.

I like blogs.

Maybe one day I'll die and they'll put quotes from in it in a book about me. Probably not. If I'm lucky they'll put quotes in the funeral program.

I was thinking the other day that blogs are not really all that safe a way of storing infomation. What if a bomb blows up the computer that this infomation is stored on? I don't know where my blog is stored. Some random place in America I guess. Probably not random to the people who put the computer there, but random to me.

I was thinking of saying in small groups today "Nothing is Random" and it felt like it would be one of those "Everything you know is a lie" quotes accept kinda Christian and divine believing. But I think it was one of those things you think would be a good idea to say because the person next to you just said it and you weren't really paying attention. I was sitting next to Mitch and I think he said it. But I'm not sure.

We just had a fireside with some ladies form TAMAR, which is a group who does something to do with sexual abuse in the church and making sure that it doesn't happen. It was pretty hardcore. Abuse, of any kind, but especially sexual, makes me really angry. My first response is to want to go and find the abusers and punch them in the head, and I almost never feel like that.

I don't know quite what to do now. It's all so scary. As usual I want to stop being in Youth Ministry and go find a job doing data entry where I don't have to worry about stuff anymore. Sometimes I think God got it wrong when He sent me into youth ministry. Maybe I need to learn from Moses.

I was also thinking about how the lowest of the low in our society are child abusers. How do you love them? That's a big job. I don't think I'll start a ministry for convicted abusers, but I would probably support it.

I really don't like humans sometimes. And sometimes I want to hurry up and get to heaven. Either that or get a data entry job.

Yesterday I went over to lunch at the house of a family from church. That was cool. I like going out for lunch.

It was pretty easy day at church. I had much trouble driving to church though. I was very tried. My morning group was good. We played Bible games and didn't make it to any teaching. That's ok though, because I can use it next week. Yayness.

I handed out the wine at communion. Never done that before and I wasn't quite sure what to say. I was in line and Matt asked me to give him a hand. Most of the time I mumbled something like "This is the blood of Jesus shed for you" or "Drink this in rememeberence of Jesus" and alternating between Jesus and Christ. Sometimes I just didn't say anything at all. It was all a little strange. Next time I'll figure it out though.

The sermon was on "Growing deeper in your conversation with God" it was good. I was challenged and that's always a good thing. Except when it's not. But in this case I think it was good.

Yes.

There you go. There's my weekend.

Today it is raining a bit. And college is college. We are having a women come and talk to us about sex tonight. That should be fun. I'll try not to giggle.

On Saturday I went to Erina for Soul Survivor. That was cool. It was an interesting day.

We went out in the afternoon (we only arrived at 2pm) to do "kindness projects". The idea is that you go out into the community and do good things for the people of the community. It's not really a traditional evangelism thing, although it would hopfully be good for evangelisim. I think it is a practical demonstration of God's love for us all. The emphasis is not on getting opportunities to tell people the gospel but just to do good things. I may have misunderstood it, but I think that's what it's all about. And I approve.

I went to the local High School and picked up rubbish around the outside. We would have gone inside but the school wouldn't let us. We prayed at three of the four corners for the school. We couldn't get to the fourth, so we didn't.

That night we had chicken burgers for dinner, I like chicken burgers. We had wedges and cheese cake too. Yay.

At the main meeting there was a drama and some musical worship, lead by people from my church. I enjoyed that.

I preached my "Love Your Enemies" sermon again. It didn't get as good a responce to the funny bits as last time, but it still came of ok. I think.

There was a ministry time post the "message" and I prayed for a guy, which I found very helpful because I hadn't prayed for anyone during a minsitry time before, and I wasn't really wanting to do it. But he was there, and I was the closest too him, and I knew God was prodding me, he has been for a while. And so I got up and did it. I found it really helpful. I don't know about him. I though managed to overcome the nerves I had about praying for people in that context. I'm sure they aren't gone, but it's better.

I don't mind praying for people, but I have never really been a big participator in the charasmatic scene. So Saturday was really good. I'm very happy I'm with this church.

We just had a discussion here at college about how we are going to respond to a class we had last week where we all behaved badly for a visiting lecturer. It's very interesting. The decision was to make a public appology to the lecturer (is that spelt right?). It's nice to have people talking about these things.

I have more to write. Perhaps that's tomorrows job. Talk about Sunday and Saturday.

Now I'm going to bed. I have a little bit of sleep to catch up on.

Thursday. Yes Thursday. How cool were the Crows?

Way cool.

Rob and I drove in to Fox Studios in the afternoon and saw a four o'clock session of The Hours. We were thinking of seeing The Rules of Attraction but I started to feel like it was a film I didn't really want to be watching. Too much sex from the looks of things. I think I'm getting soft in my old age.

The Hours was extreamly boring. I'm sure it was a good film. But so boring. I would have much prefered seeing it on a TV screen at least there is only 38cm to find boring, not 15 metres.

After the film dinner was had, Honey chicken from the Chinese shop. Rating: Poor (I'm glad I bought a small)

When dinner was done though... Hey Hey, it's time to take your seats.

Rob and I were sitting in the front row of seats. There was lots of people standing on the floor in front, but we were sitting higher then them so we got an un-interupted view of the stage. That was cool.

Butterfly 9 played first, them being the support. They were ok. The music was better than the performance. They didn't hold my interest. But I didn't mind them playing. They just didn't kick my bucket.

Half an hour after Butterfly, everything went dark. Ooo. The crowd went wild. Cameras flashed and we saw figures moving across the stage. Some music started. And as the cameras flashed some more we could make out Adam and the rest of the Counting Crows, playing, Have You Seen Me Lately in the dark. So cool.

That's a cool song. They played many cool songs. Mr Jones was third, and cool. Everyone sang along. Everyone sang along to the song from August and not much with the other songs. I think a lot of the fans were from when the Crows first moved onto the scene. Ten years ago. This is their first time in Australia. Adam said they were having a good time and they are coming back at the end of the year. So much yay! Anyone want to come with me?

They played Rain King with Raining in Baltimore in the middle of it. I was hanging out for Round Here but that didn't come. What they did play, that they didn't on some other nights, was my fave, Anna Begins and they played it good too. Much better than the version on Across the Wire, in my own humble opinion.

Murder of One was toppess notchess. Like the Across the Wire one but even cooler. Really posh. Big finish. The bomb. The Bomb! I'm such a fan. How cool are the Counting Crows? Big Yellow Taxi was done good too. Really, I love em. Love em.

I've also decided to become a music reporter, I have found my concert review to be quite well done.

Miami was sic. Adam got people to sing along, but I don't think many people knew the words. I did though. I sang loudly. I know Adam heard me too.

I know he did.

I'm glad I went to the Crows. I think God blesses me more than I deserve. He really should hit me with a stick and send me to hell. I'm happy he dosen't though. Yay.

Yay.

It's so strange just watching this war begin. Does this happen every time people go to war.

I don't have much faith that this war can be averted. I have faith that God can stop it, but I don't have faith in people not to do it. Hmm. Is that the correct attictude to have? I pray for peace.

It's so early in the morning. I have to go to church soon. And I have to think of something to do with the kids. A game or something. I have only one leader again, so I'm hoping there aren't many kids.

I'm going over to lunch at a family from church's house today. That should be cool. I like lunch.

This is cool.

Wollongong wants to become part of France. That's cool.

Maybe Hornsby will join Germany?

Wow. What a night I just had. I still have to talk about yesterday but tonight while it's still fresh...

The day was pretty normal. We had youth group in the park today because we couldn't go to the church due to the World Day of Prayer. Pow. That was a bad move. The park is not really a park, it's an oval. Big oval. We had four leaders today and the kids were crazy. Hypo as anything. We abandoned the activities planned because we couldn't keep the kids all in one spot. The only activity that didn't get abandoned was the pizza, and that went smoothly.

I tried to do my talk but the kids wouldn't listen. We spent the last 20 minutes sitting around waiting for the kids to be quiet. I got about a minute into Moses' extreamly condensed life story before it was time to go home. They were crazy. Next week we are going to another church. Praise the Lord. We just have to be there. I think.

There was another youth group planning on Love Bombing us tonight. I'm very glad they didn't.

At the end of the night everyone went home. But I heard one of the parents lost her kid. I spent much time making phone calls and trying to figure out who the lost person was and how they got home. In the end they had got a lift home and not called their parents. I talked to them on the phone and conveyed my happiness that they were safe.

Ten minutes later I got a phone call from the Mother, and she was very angry at me. Very angry. It has been my first really angry call at this church. My second angry parent call in my life. I said sorry for the things I did wrong (and there was some), and talked her through the other things that I didn't. But she's still very angry at me. I hope things can get sorted out.

I think it's good that people care about their kids.

Praise the Lord. Tonight has been a shocker, but I'm pretty happy. God is a good God even if things suck. I hope I can continue to be happy when things suck. I wonder if this is Joy? I'm feeling very pleased with God at the moment. I'm thinking, yay, I'm saved, Jesus died for me. I could be a crappy youth minister but God still loves me, hugely. And I'm also thinking, God sent me to this church so things will get better. And things aren't bad. People are nice, and very hospitible. And I like being here. I like the kids too. I just have to figure out, or be inspired I guess, how to do this job properly, they way God wants me too. He has a plan. I'll just need to be faithful and patient.

Yay!

Counting Crows were cool.

More later.

www.sparklybee.com does not exist. Yay.

Neither does www.sonnywatkins.com.

I'm guessing that www.iammissingthresstoesbecauseofaterribleaccidentwithapapershreader.com isn't being used either, but that has no importance to me.

Counting Crows Day!

I plan to go to my local library and do some college work before heading off to Fox Studios and watching a movie, eating dinner, and seeing a concert. I'm looking forward to this all, eh. There isn't much on at the cinema though. We might find something.

I wonder how many people I know are going to this concert. Hmmm.

I had quite a sit around day today. I achieved very little. I don't like that feeling. I feel I should be out doing things, or working, or seeing, or making. Something or other. I don't like an un-productive day. Idle hands are the devil's tool.

I went to see The Recruit last night. That was a fun film. I don't think I'll buy it on DVD bit it was cool. There was fun spy training teams and the twists weren't to bad. I was a good use of two hours I think. I probably won't think about the film much anymore though.

Chris is downstairs re-editing Panda 82. He's making it widescreen and stuff like that. I think he's having fun. He went for a job interview today with a pretty cool sounding film company. I hope he gets a job.

I'm hanging out to make a proper film. I want to make a short film with clapperboards, lights, tripods, booms, actors, scripts, good story, good dialouge, and a sense of achievement. That would be cool. I want to find something to make. But I'm waiting till I have a reason. I've found that the films I make just for the sake of making a film don't turn out very well. So I'm waiting.

I'm going to Crows tomorrow!

I got asked today to do my "Love your Enemies" sermon at Soul Survivor Erina on Saturday. That could be fun. I enjoy sermonising. Some people will have heard it before. I hope they don't get bored.

I have decided that the easiest way for me to craft a sermon is to spend a few hours pretending to do a sermon on the topic, in a loud, American accent. It's very useful. Using the accent is good because it makes you sound more "earnest" and you can make up corny-er phrases. Not that I want to only seem "earnest", and I don't want to say corny phrases, but I think that the accent is helpful for lubricating the brain.

Is that a good phrase?

On Thursday I'm going to Counting Crows!

I went to a beach mission reunion on Saturday. It was very reunion like. How you understand that probably depends on what you think of reunions. Or what you think I think of reunions.

Lesley went to my house to edit her film today I think. Chris is going tomorrow. It's cool. My computer is getting outside use. That's pretty cool if you ask me. I'm enjoying this computer. I still feel very blessed.

I finally preached last night. It went pretty good. I had problems with being very thirsty and so talking was quite un-comfortable. After I got myself a drink it wasn't too bad. People laughed at my jokes and I think the video was well recieved. I hope though, that I got the point across. I'm hoping people go out and do some enemy loving now. That would be good.

I had a lot of people tell me it was good, which was quite uncomfortable. I never know what to do. And responding to compliments to a sermon I felt was even harder. When you're doing "spiritual things" you feel a little guilty getting compliments for what is probably, hopefully, more God's work than mine. But you know these things happen.

Robert and Lesley came to see the church. I'm not sure what Lesley thought, but Robert liked it. He liked the music.

N Korea 'ready' for war with US

Sunday 2 March 2003, 10:05AM

North Korea has warned that nuclear war could break out on the Korean Peninsula at "any moment".

This came after South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun warned of a "calamity" unless the stand-off over Pyongyang's nuclear program is resolved peacefully and quickly.

Does that worry anyone? It worries me.

I think that at the moment I don't have a lot to say, but I have a sermon to learn.

I have got my computer back at work now. This is very exciting for me. I now have things I can do in the office.

I just tried to sign up for this AudioBlog thing but it didn't let me call the number from Australia. How rude is that?

I read this story once and I liked it.

http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/UBooks/TherMan.shtml

I'm writing the "Love your Enemies" sermon at the moment. I'm hoping it's ok. I finished the video this afternoon in record time. It was so quick. It's not world class but it's alright. I think it'll do the job.

There are people doing the fireworks thing near my house. It's Mardi Gras night but I don't think the Madi Gras will get this close.

I went looking for interesting webcams last night. I looked at men's, women's, tourist attractions, constuction sites, aquariums, lounge rooms. And I realised, webcams aren't very interesting.

I did find this one a while ago though. It's good.

http://www.avary.com/rogeravary/writercam/writercam.html

Jackass: The Movie. I'm not sure whether it was good or bad. I guess it made me laugh. At times. I wasn't as impressed when they did things to people who weren't in the Jackass team. Bam's parents were cool. I didn't really like all the bum jokes. They seem to find people getting pain in their genitals funny. I guess it is at times. But I think I got pretty sick of it quite quickly.

I got to eat cheese pizza tonight. And there is more in the fridge.

I wrote a really good post yesterday about my neighbour who I offered a lift home to but she refused because I think she didn't know who I was and maybe thought I wanted to rob and kill her. (That was a long sentence) It was a very good post. But alas it stuff up on me. What a bastard.

This is meant to be a college study day but at the moment I have only managed to eat breakfast and lunch. Study hasn't arrived yet.

Tonight I'm going to go and see Jackass: The Movie I'm sure that will be brilliant.

Tomorrow many of my friends go to Counting Crows. I'm going in a week. Yayness all round.

Pow! Six hits yesterday. I'm the man. Eck, eck.

I just spent a few hours around at the Castle's house playing pictionary. That was fun. It's a fun game. Ryan and I were going so well, we were very close to winning when we were over taken right at the end. I felt crushed. I also lost volley ball tonight. Crushed more.

I spent a lot of today shooting a video with Robert for church. It's about me loving my enemies. I'm demonstrating to people that I can love my enemies so they can too. I felt like a did a lot of hugging today. I hugged Jemma at the traffic lights. It was cool. She pulled up then Rob and I walked up to her car and I stuck myself through the window and gave her a hug. We did this twice. I'm hoping that the people in the cars around us were impressed.

I owe Optus $123 which is like my voice mail number backwards (321).

I also got a new credit card the other day. Just to replace my old one, this one is better because now the magnetic strip is not broken. It's not as good in other respects though because there is no Sydney Olympics logo on it, and that was cool.

I decided the other day that I was going to boycott McDonalds. When asked why I told people that I wasn't sure but I thought that McDonalds was probably doing something unethical.

The boycott didn't last very long.

I was thinking I was preaching on the 8th. Last night I found out it was the 1st. That's a little sad. I wasn't prepared for that. I was all planned to be really well prepared. Now I am not. Shame, shame, shame. I am thinking about using Footloose as an illustration. I'm sure I'll get paid out for that. But it'll be funny. Plus I think it's relevant. I hope.

I was planning on working harder at college this semester but now that I'm here it's not looking as easy.

Saddam on TV with Georgie. How cool is that. Our two favourite people together at last. It's like what you normally see on TV except instead of seeing dysfunctional families you see dysfunctional world leaders.

I think I had something to say about yesterday.

Hmm.

It was Sunday.

I had a really good lesson planned for the Sunday morning group yesterday. It was cool the kids were going to be running around in the carpark collecting things. They were learning not to worry. I was really excited about the outdoor game.

When it came time to play, it was raining. Raining! Who decided to break the drought on the weekend? Eh? Today would have been a fine day to break the drought. It could rain all the way up until Thursday and it wouldn't disrupt any of my plans.

One of the kids decided to walk out of my group. When I chased him and told him to go back he said "No". When I told him that I don't want him in my group if he doesn't want to be there, he told me that he didn't want to be there either and his mother made him. That was a problem. Now I'm going to have to talk to his mother. I don't really want to do that.

Last night I shot a video with Matt for church. It was the first silly thing I have done for the church. We did a satellite link up to my twin brother in Miami. I put on my American accent and away we went. I made a few jokes that got a mild reaction. I was kinda happy with it. It was nice to do something stupid. I got a lot of people afterwards saying it was good. I'm not sure whether to to hope they were being polite or not.

Well, Monday it is. That means College I am at.

I almost got myself killed today. That might be a bit exaggerated. Maybe very badly injured.

I was standing in the kitchen today, cleaning up. People were outside in the carpark, playing soccer. I decided to put a box of matches away. I headed over towards the cupboard. As I was on my way over there was a huge "Bang!". I thought the oven had blown up. This was quickly followed a shattering sound and me getting hit by lots of pieces of glass. I realised at that stage that the oven had not exploded. The soccer boys had smashed the window a couple of metres away from me.

I figure it could have been dangerous. I might have been stabbed in the throat or something by a big piece of glass, but it didn't really feel all that impressive. Everyone else was more impressed than I was. They all ran into the kitchen and I got repeatedly asked if I was ok. I think I was. I haven't noticed any wounds yet and it's been an hour and a half.

I guess I'm wondering at the moment how close I did come to being badly injured and if there is any significance to this event. Is this part of the spiritual attack that my household has been under lately, or is it just a random ball? I'm sure God was making sure that I was ok, but how much work did he have to do. Was I always going to be ok, and I was in no more danger than I normally am, or was it like one little difference and I could be in a hospital in some form or another at the moment? I'm thinking it was probably somewhere in between.

I'm not dead though, and devil or not, I'm pretty happy about that.

I want to get this Mini-Disk player.

I went and saw 8 Mile today. Good film that. I ate a falafel roll for lunch. I also had a Buddy. I think that Eminem is not all that bad. I don't I like his music a whole lot though. The "battles" in the film were cool they reminded me of theatre sports. I used to be quite a teatresporter in my time. Won a number of competitions, one at Helen O'Grady Drama Academy and one at Black Stump Christian Arts Festival. I was quite a little Al Pacino in my time.

My sister is moving out.

Not Hannah, the other one.

We were meant to go to the Waterworks for youth group tonight, but we cancelled it because of the rain. Shame really because the Waterworks are fun. Fun indeed. Instead we stayed at church and watched Men in Black II. That's not a very good film.

I ordered 20 large pizzas for everyone and the dude asked me when I wanted to pick it up. I said "Seven". At seven we went to pick the pizzas up and they said that the pizzas would be ready at eight. I told them that we were told seven. She said they couldn't be done till eight. I asked if there was any possability of having them done by quarter to eights. Nope. Maybe just some of them? Nope. I said, "The kids are going home at eight." She said "Sorry." We didn't eat pizza. I was very hungry. As were the kids. We made a lot of money though.

We'll have pizza another night.

I think I forgot to mention, and this is definatly worth mentioning, at the show last night we across the isle and one row up from almost the whole cast of Home and Away. Rebecca Cartwright was there with her boyfriend Beau Brady. We almost walking into each other in the bathroom doorway. We did the side step, both people go the same way thing a few times, till he said "sorry", and we got past each other. Fame. Beau and I are good friends now, after our little altercation.

When I walked past the Second hand bookstore last night, after the lane incident, I noticed that someone had left about eight fat books outside the front door. I had a look and the books were the palimentary debates for Australia in 1902. I picked one up and flicked through it. It wasn't very interesting. There was a man named Mr Crouch who did a bit of talking. I closed the book and put it back when I found it.

As I was walking away it occoured to me that Mr Crouch would be dead now, as would every one else in that book. But we still know what they said.

Walking home from Kaia's last night at around 11:30, I went to turn into a little walk way between her street an another. It's very dark and a little wider then the foot path. I always used to be a little worried about walking down it during the day, and I hated it at night. Anyway, I went to turn down the lane and there was the figure of a man walking up the other way. Suddenly I though "Hmm, this is a problem." I had thoughts that this man was walking down the lane only to rob me and kill me. Then I decided that that was a silly thought, and he was probably walking home, like me. So I walked down the lane. What normally would have been a terribly nerve racking experience when I was a bit younger, I was quite calm about.

Shouldn't have been calm though because the guy robbed me then stabbed me to death.

I had a strange night last night.

"Tivoli" was interesting. I have never been to a dance thing before. There were some bits that were cool. There were big tap numbers and dancers throwing a small women all over the stage. They were good. The story left something to be desired, but I guess it wasn't really about the story, and it was a little strange when the topless women were on stage. I'm not used to seeing topless women dance. But all up it was worth going. I think if I watched more stuff from Sydney Dance Company I might learn to like it. But I'm not sure if I would want to put in the effort.

It was a much better experience than when I saw the opera.

Yay for Miss Germany! When she says "World Peace", she means it.

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/02/20/1045638399206.html

I just got my hair cut. And spent too much money on Maccas and a U2 magazine.

I hate getting my hair cut, It's always a worry. Usually I get a bad haircut from my hairdresser, but I keep going. I'm afraid of change. Today it was a really big step to ask for a number 3 on the sides rather than my usual number 2. I always think it's too short but I never have the courage to get it cut a little longer. I wonder if I will ever be able to change hairdressers? I'm feeling not.

My hair smells too. That's the other downside of a hair cut, they put styling stuff in. At the moment I smell like orange.

But my hair is shorter, that's a good thing.

I'm going to get my hair cut today. I'm also going to see "Tivoli" with Kaia. I'm looking forward to that. Musicals are fun. And this is a dance musical, I like dancing, sometimes. I like other people dancing. Although sometimes it gets a little boring, but big musical dancing. That's cool.

"Some in the world don't view Saddam Hussein as a risk to peace." -George W Bush

Wouldn't planning to go to war with another country make you a risk to peace?

Time to watch a DVD.

There are a lot of people dying around the world these days.
21 in Chicago
20 in Eastern USA
134 in South Korea
and
28,000 children of preventable diseases around the place.

That's a lot of dying.

Personally I'm planning on dying when it's not as fashionable.

I just noticed that in the past 12 hours or so I've had 4 hits from the USA. Wow. How cool is that? Very cool.

Are you from the USA? Send me an e-mail I like people from the USA. I even like the President of the USA, except when he's being the president and making bad decsions. As they said at the Anti-War rally on Sunday "We're not anti-America, were anti-War." Then we all cheered.

If I'm not careful the fame is going to get to my head.

Does having 4 hits from the USA in one day entitle you to some pizza? Cheese pizza?

Did I say that I ate some food from Charlie Chan's in Chatswood Westfield yesterday? Well I did. And it wasn't very good. The Honey Chicken was really under cooked. And the other two dishes were poor.

I have a craving for pizza now and I don't think there is any food in this house.

I'm almost finished editing. I don't want to do anymore today though. All I have to do is finish an interview and stick on some music then I'm done. Sick eh? Eh.

I think it would be cool to have a laptop. Then I could carry a computer around and type word documents where ever I want. Apart from that, I see no reason to have a laptop.

Yay, It's the morning.

This is our favourite DJ on Triple M.

I have to re-new my membership at the RSL. That's gonna cost me $11! It only cost me $4.40 to join. Man, the things you have to do these days for a good pokies atmosphere.

On the way back from the cinemas today Rob, Tim and I got caught by this young lady who was trying to get us to donate to heart reasearch. She was very agressive. When I said I didn't want to register, she asked me why not. I told her I didn't want to get a lot of stuff in the mail. So she told me it was only one thing and she could give me here privacy policy. I replied that I just didn't want to sign up so she moved on to Robert and asked him why he didn't sign up and then Tim. She was agro. I think it may have been that time of the month. In the end I told her if I wanted to donate I'd contact them. I don't think we were her best customers.

I saw The Gangs of New York today with Tim and Robert. I think that movie could have been shorter. I don't know. It was long. And violent. And I couldn't tell what it was trying to say. I got the picture that from the movie and it's advertising that the story was that the characters in the movie made New York what it is today. From what I could tell from the movie, New York is what it is despite the characters in the film. They seemed to have no lasting impression at all. But that's just what I could see.

It was good going out with Tim and Rob though. I looked at Boston Market too. I might eat there one day.

I would like to get a mini-disk player.

I'm about to go to bed but I thought I'd blog quickly. I've been editing the video for the past six or seven hours. It's quite fun. A lot of work though. I don't think I'll become an editer by trade. Perhaps I will get quicker as time goes on.

My computer at work is broken. I now find it difficult to do work. I might have to have words to someone about that. But I have an office, and that's cool. I still like having the office. Even if it did used to be a bedroom. That's sometimes a strange thought. Especially when the old occupant is around. When the girl who used to live in the room is there I feel like I should pick up my stuff and move out. I don't though. I resist the urge. Good on me.

Went to the "March for Peace" in the city today. That was cool. I heard there was 250,000 people. There were helicopters overhead. And lots of people. I clapped my hands and shouted. I went with the family from church. They were cool. They have a very talkative daughter, but very friendly. They made me lunch, drove me in, bought me an Ice Cream. I was well looked after. Top notch, eh?

It was a fun much. People were in good spirits. Generally all agreeing with each other I think. I get a little un-comfortable about all the rude slogans and stuff about the Bush and Howard and those blokes. I don't agree with their policies, but I still believe in being polite. Even loving. Maybe they are my enemy. Maybe they are the people we Christian peace-niks have to love.

I just went to Castle Hill Tavern for the birthday of a girl from college. There were four of us, and I didn't talk much. But I had a pleasant time. The gave me advice about what to do in the Sunday Morning group I'm running tomorrow. We're doing loving your enemies. It should be alright. I think I'm going to make some plans for that group. I'm going to try and make it more of a good quality youthy meeting than a baby sittting/Sunday School thing. I think I'll introduce regular features and stuff like that. But it's all slowly slowly. For now I'm just trying to make sure things happen. But I think things are alright now.

The Africans are part of a childrens choir and were are billeting them. We aren't hiding refugees.

I got phone call this morning from people at church who had invited me around for lunch. They were asking is they could postpone to the week after so they could go to the Anti-War Rally in the city. I was all "Cool, yeah, can you take me?"

I wanted to go but I couldn't because of work. But since there are people who are going from church, I can tag along and still not skip any of my duties. Cool, huh?

Yesterday was not as fun. I woke up feeling bad and subsequently spent the first half of the day on the toilet and vomiting. Yum.

The next half I spent editing. I was wanting to go to work, because I felt I could, but I was told to stay home in case I made everyone else sick. My first sick day.

I don't like sick days. I wanted to go run a youth group.

On Thursday, after college Graham, Mitch and I went on a trip to find Angus. Seeing as he hadn't been at college for 2 weeks and no-one had heard from him we thought we'd go find him.

We took the camera and filmed the whole trip. We made a nice little documentry I think. It's coming together nicely. We interviewed people and asked them if they knew where Gus was. We met homeless men, crazy skaters, macca's workers, buddhist monks. It was very cool. We had a wonderful time finding Gus. And just as we were about to go home after arriving at his apartment and finding no-one there, who should arrive home but Gus. It was a bit of devine intervention, mes thinks.

I got home at around 1am and had that "I've just been on an adventure" feeling.

There are three African people in my house.

I'm preaching on "Loving Your Enemies" soon. Cool. I like that one. Must pray about that. Make sure I let God talk, not me.

Maybe God and me, together. We make a great team.

When I die and come before God He'll say "Thanks Tom, couldn't have done it without ya"

As seems to be the case at this intensive stuff there is a lot to take in. I have no idea how to apply everything to work. Now that I think about it, I can't even remember what we talked about. I can't remember what I have been inspired to do. I know there's a lot that I have heard, I'm not sure what I've learnt though.

Mitch told me he wants to be a Chaplin in the army. Being the person who doesn't like violence that I am (I think maybe I am a pacifist, but I don't know what it fully means to say you are one of them, so I don't) I don't think I would like to be an Army chaplin. I started talking to Mitch about it but we didn't get very far. I think maybe I will talk to him more. I don't think I could be a chaplain without telling them that I think what they are doing is wrong.

Although I think that sometimes it might be ok for the Army to be army like. Maybe, from a Christian view, it's ok to use force to protect others from violence. Maybe it's not. It's all good to turn the other cheek yourself, but it doesn't seem right to make others turn other cheek because that's what you believe.

That's a little post-modern I think.

I think after very little thought (or perhaps a lot of thought in many short, unsustained bursts) that the world isn't really a very pleasant place. There are wars brewing, terrorists threatening, ebola killing, and I have an in-grown toe-nail.

When will the madness end?

I just got back from the pub and isn't Sutherland pub a beautiful pub. I had two Cokes and played three games of pool. I went to the toilet once, spoke to Lesley on the phone once, and David once. All up very productive.

Sometimes I wonder what a Bible college needs a PlayStation 2 for. But I'm not upset by it. I love having a PS2, although mainly I like it for the DVDs.

I am inspired to do Sonny Watkins now that I have a computer. Sonny Watkins that politically incorrect, theologically incorrect Bible teacher. I want his fame to spread. I think now that I have a computer it's a much more reasonable thing to think of. I watched the Sonny video from 2001 again today. I can't say it was world class but I see potential. And it's that potential I want to build on.

I fell asleep a few times in my lectures today. But they weren't too bad. I'm enjoying what I'm awake for. Interesting stuff. We got to have a discussion about The Matrix and it's post-modern worldview. Interesting stuff.

Speaking of interesting stuff the website has some cool articles here, go to the Philosophy Section.

I appologise to me (all the rest of you who care) for the poorness of today's posts. I'm trying to make up for lack off posting on other days.

My old youth group website is still around. I might amend it at some stage to reflect the changing face of the youth group, or lack there-of.

Bed calls now. College on the 'morrow.

I just spent many mintues trying to make this computer work after connecting it to my fatty. I don't like this computer.

Actually, now I've said that, I'm feeling a little bit of love for this thing. We've had many good times and bad times together. It's a little sad that I won't spend as much time with her. As dodgy as she is, I love her.

I love my dog more.

But my dog barks more than my computer and connects to the internet less.

I have dreams to create wonderful films now.

I'm in the middle of cleaning up the house at the moment. Mum asked if I could clean up for her for an hour. I started more than an hour ago but I keep getting distracted so I will have to go a bit longer.

I just called the man who sold me my desk and was going to deliver it to me. He was very excited to hear from me. Like he was my good friend. It was very nice. I think them folk at Bibles for Missions are all lovely people. I encourage you all to shop there whenever you can.

I have been very bad at posting these days. I think that's because my life is so full.

I created a cd today. I took the audio off my Matchbox 20 dvd so I could listen to it other places. It's pretty cool. I'm not sure if it's illegal though.

I read in the paper last night that some vandals smashed up the fence at Coogee where Our Blessed Virgin was residing.

From the article:"It's very sad," [one lady] said, as she wiped tears away from her eyes. "I've been praying to her."

Well this chair is a little un-comfortable.

I'm back at work now. I have a meeting in an hour. I told some of the guys in the youth group I'd take them to the beach, so we are going after the meeting. It's a little worrying because I am not a big fan of the beach, but I think I should learn to like it. I'll see how we go.

The computer finally entered my room yesterday. Wow. My screen is huge.

Rob and I went to this dodgy Bibles for Missions place to pick up my table. I decided I couldn't wait for it to get delivered. Getting the table was a massive task.

The table was positioned behind thousands of pieces of old, dodgy furnature. Ladders, beds, bedends, desks, painting, chests of drawers, and a cash register. It was amazing Rob and I spent much time moving various items of dirty second-hand goods so we could even touch the table. Once we got there we had to carry it out which required a lot more moving of beds and drawers and the like. Amazing stuff.

Once we started inspecting the table we found it to be a wonderful treasure trove of excitment. It was covered in dirt, the table top was only connected to two of its four legs, it seems to have 3 different types and colours of paint on various surfaces, and its all topped off my the most beautiful gray and white lino you have ever seen. Good quality stuff. Goes great with the computer.

Wow!

I just had my first youth group at this church. Crazy. 33 kids. I'm used to having a group of five. It was good though. I had a good time. I'm looking forward to this year. I had to tell the story of Samson. He's a character. Why I chose him I don't know. I felt I did pretty poorly, I don't think I put in enough planning. But hey, it got a good wrap from the leaders.

I begun with no idea what was going on. I hadn't assigned roles, or got a timetable figured out. But it came off ok. I think God had something to do with it. I felt most un-prepared, but God is abundant in grace. Yay for Him.

Speaking of grace...

David told me my computer is all done. Yay! And I'm going to the Counting Crows. I bought the tickets today.

I figure this is the computer of grace. I've spent money on it I didn't earn, it's been built through no toil of mine. Everything that has made this computer has been the grace of God and my friends and family. I don't deserve this computer by any standards. But I have it. And I have it in aubundance. Sometimes it's nice how the little(r) things can remind us of the big things, like the ultimate act of grace from God.

Hey it's my blog I can say what I want.

These lectures are very difficult for my head to cope with. I have to come up with my philosophy of youth ministry. I think it will be fun, I like doing this kind of thing, but it's hard to get to the point where I'll feel ready to do it.

The last lecture we had was looking at a youth ministry based on a covenental (sp?) theology. I felt like the theology was fine, but the out working of the theology was a little strange to me. I think intensives make me think a lot. It's good. I'm being challenged to make sure my theology matches up with how I practice youth ministry. At the moment I'm in a good position to make sure it does, being new and all. So we'll see how life goes.

May I just say on the record that I like first years, I don't want to flush their heads down the toilets and I don't mind them telling me I can't eat the pasta.

Truly.

There's only Lite White for breakfast. It's way too early for me to be around but I am. Lectures start in 20 minutes and there's nothing I want for breakfast. I grabbed some pasta from last night out of the fridge, I was very excited about my breakfast then, but got told off by a first year. Hmmm. I wonder if I should have flushed their head down the toilet to show my second year superiority to the freshman.

Well this is my first ever post from College. Yay for that.

I wanted to post last night from Rooty Hill RSL but it cost $3 for half an hour and I thought "Nup". I went to the RSL last night for my birthday. I think it was very exciting. And we got to go in Dad's hire car which was very posh.

I thought the RSL was a very fitting place to have my 20th birthday and I now have a Rooty Hill RSL t-shirt, which I have wanted for five years. I expect to wear it three times.

Yesterday I also went to a restaurant in Hornsby for lunch which had really bad food. It was called Toscani's. But I had a nice time. I also bought a DVD Writer and a table to put my computer on. The burner cost $737 and the table cost $30 (from Bibles for Missions). All up I'm very happy with my purchases. I also bought a Matchbox 20 DVD and they're cool.

Australian space spiders perish

Headline in SMH after Shuttle crash.

What a shame

I have discovered a few problems with the programs that I created. Wrong time for one. Very disappointing. But we'll get there. One day it will be fixed. Hopefully before all the kids turn up at the wrong time.

Today I went back to college for the first time in 2003. It was a little un-interesting because we had to listen to all the orientation stuff. But it was good to be back and see all me friends. Gus wasn't there though because he's in hospital at the moment. He's not going to die, so that's good. I think I found it amusing because these days college is something that he doesn't seem to be able to make it to much.

We had an opening service where I read the Bible. I do like the Bible.

Yesterday I ate butter chicken for dinner and I had kids from the church come and hang out in my office. That's never happened before.

Last night we had a leaders night and I got to run a team building exercise and a Bible study on Jesus washing the disciple's feet. It was interesting because I only found out I was doing it yesterday afternoon, so I have the feeling it wasn't as prepared as I would have liked, but it was alright. And it's God's show not mine anyway.

I also rearranged my office. That was cool. Now my desk looks out the window and I feel much more at home there. And I've figured out a comfy way to sit in my chair. All good things.

Tomorrow is the first day of the junior high group that I run on Sunday mornings. That should be interesting. I haven't quite figured out how I'm going to do it, but I'll get there.

About Chinese people:

I'm not a racist at all, I've got a colour TV, but they stand on the toilet and piss all over the seats, and they're smelly and they're always pushin'. Sometimes I just want to learn the swearwords in their language and write them all over the back of the toilet doors.

- Over heard on the train on the way home from College.