Welcome Talia

After long hours of much hard work, Jim and Em are now jointed by Talia Joy. Top stuff! Cute kid! Much love. Scott

Monday Morning

Here is the view that greets me when I look out my kitchen window at present. Kinda cool. Scott

Cut and Chat

Order. Routine. Predictablilty. Most of our day to day existense depends on this sort of stuff. When it's taken away it becomes dangerous . . . but exciting. I courted the danger yesterday at Partners Hair Design at Cavendish. For the last 10 years I have cut my own hair. A no. 2 all over will do nicely, thank you very much. But I broke the drought and went to have my hair cut and carefully dishevelled by a professional. When I told my mum she replied - "What hair?!" But I'll ignore those kind of comments for now. I was completely lost from the start. Didn't know where to sit, who to turn to for help. I was in the chair for about 30 seconds when I was invited for a wash. It made my head tingle. Then back to the chair for the cut and chat. Then it was back for a rinse, then back to the chair for a gel. Needless to say I got up to go thinking it was all over about 3 times but I think I managed to fake it pretty well. And even though they didn't have much to work with, they did an outstanding job. There was a weird 'Seven-degrees-of-seperation" factor at work though - the girl who did my hair turned out to be the same one who cut my brothers hair when he was in town over a year ago. Wow. Thanks Dominic. I'll be back. We all need a little more danger in our lives. Scott

Goodbyes

I just read my brothers blog about saying goodbyes at airports. I'm reading him loud and clear (I was there). After 26 hours of less than average air travel I think I put my finger on what's up with that. Saying goodbye is a kind of dying. I'll leave you with that thought. Scott

The Boys

Rich Rich and Scott came over today. Tops to see the boys - seems like almost from another life time. But they- and many others - are still strong in the faith all the way from 1994. It's good that our God is gracious and long suffering. And it's also good that I've still got mates around like this. I'm taking the grade 8 boys at St James this year - could we go this far? I'm hoping so.

Scott

Blood Brothers

When you miss people by a few years, the time is usually spent with catch up. It's all you've got. You missed the moments, you can hear about them, but it's more like Uncle Bob's slide show of the Grand Canyon then a friendship. But not this weekend.

This weekend I felt comforted, strengthened and full of a joy infusion. It wasn't a mile a minute rollercoaster, more like a well prepared meal or a long cigar - or both. I now think I am ready for '06. And I've finally resolved some of those burning questions of life; How much would they have to pay you to have a large horn on your head for the rest of your life, or to become a cyclops? Or if you had 3 wishes, would one of them be to be able to breath underwater and not to get crushed by the pressure becuase you had steel skin?

So a big 'hell yes!' to Benny, Chad, Steve, Ressy and Kenny. And to Gregers, until that day my friend. Thank you brothers. The song below by Bruce doesn't speak exactly to our situation but you will know what I'm getting at.

Scott

We played king of the mountain out on the end
The world come chargin' up the hill, and we were women and men
Now there's so much that time, time and memory fade away
We got our own roads to ride and chances we gotta take
We stood side by side each one fightin' for the other
We said until we died we'd always be blood brothers

Now the hardness of this world slowly grinds your dreams away
Makin' a fool's joke out of the promises we make
And what once seemed black and white turns to so many shades of
gray
We lose ourselves in work to do and bills to pay
And it's a ride, ride, ride, and there ain't much cover
With no one runnin' by your side my blood brother
On through the houses of the dead past those fallen in their
tracks
Always movin' ahead and never lookin' back

Now I don't know how I feel, I don't know how I feel tonight
If I've fallen 'neath the wheel, if I've lost or I've gained
sight
I don't even know why, I don't know why I made this call
Or if any of this matters anymore after all
But the stars are burnin' bright like some mystery uncovered
I'll keep movin' through the dark with you in my heart
My blood brother

Pics

Reesy and Finn doing lunch

Cafe Benny

Everyone

A gigged out Chad

Rant

Just got some disturbing news from the home front. We have a troublesome neighbour. What's the trouble I hear you ask? Did she play her music too loud or use a hose instead of a bucket? No. She locked my brother in law out of our house using a chain and padlock. She incurred the wrath of Irma but that was just her starter.

Before I spring into action in a weeks time when I return, any suggestions?

Scott

The goats and a grey Sydney Sky

Big Red

Bearly coping

We spent the day at Taronga Zoo. It was expensive and reality often finds it hard to match the childhood memories. But nevertheless it was a good trip. And for lunch we had a Moroccan wrap. A big step from the days of dagwood dogs - and one to be applauded.

Scott

The Lion Returns

I have dipped into some books over the last few days and struck gold. I’ll try and deposit some of the nuggets on the blog over the next little while. I don’t want to bore you (second hand insights can get a little try hard) but as I said, this stuff is gold and will shine – even if I am its messenger.

I’m up to see Narnia any day now and I just finished reading the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. Check out this piece. (Aslan the lion has just been killed by the witch and risen, to the surprise of Susan and Lucy)

“But what does it all mean?” asked Susan when they were somewhat calmer.

“It means”, said Aslan, “that though the witch knew the deep magic, there is magic deeper still which she still did not know. Her knowledge goes back only to the dawn of time. If she could have looked back a little further, into the stillness and darkness before time dawned, she would have read there a different incarnation. She would have known that when a willing victim who had committed no treachery was killed in a traitor’s stead, the table would crack and Death itself would start working backwards.”

The director of the movie said that he wanted to recreate the fantasy world he enjoyed from the novel as a kid. He didn’t think C.S. Lewis had any intention of making it a reflection of the gospel. For he who has ears to hear . . .

Scott

Comfort

Today we spent time with Andrew and Liz and little Finn and Jamie out at Kellyville. There are a lot of things you could say about Kellyville, but I'll limit it to one - it was hot. 41 degrees. Instead of doing the BBQ we could have just lef the meat in the sun for 10 min.

But it was great to hang with Reesy and Liz and join with the beleivers at Kellyville Anglican. A really friendly crowd. Andrew spoke from Luke Ch 2 where Simeon sees Jesus for the 1st time. He pointed out that all that filled Simeon's horizon, why he got up in the morning, was to wait for the comfort of Israel. He recognised it's arrival in the baby King. Reesy challenged us to consider what fills our horizons as we face this new year.

So, what's it going to be? And think carefully, because much of what we rate as important is really just an impulse, and many of our 'wants' are really just needs aren't they? I'm hoping to take a leaf out of Simeon's book. I'll let you know how it goes.

Scott