Smash that penguin!

My record is 320m. Can you beat that?

http://n.ethz.ch/student/mkos/pinguin.swf

Scott

The Wedding Feast

On saturday, Jenni and Andrew got married.
I was there.
It was great.

Just after the food came out I had to go and drop some honeymoon supplies into their car. Being the cautious man that I am and not wanting all the yummy treats to be hogged by the other wedding guests, I piled up a plate of snacks and headed out to the car (I was pretty hungry).

As I was fumbling with the boot, a man waled up to me and introduced himself and his wife. They were homeless, they looked pretty dirty, they looked pretty broken. I don't even remember their names. His wife had a baby wrapped to her back and it was starting to stir. He asked if I could help.

I told him the truth, that I was at a wedding and had no money on me, but they were welocome to help themselves to the sausage rolls and cheese cake on my little saucer. They took some, said thanks and wandered on. They even left me something for the walk back to the reception.

Those encounters always leave me feeling a bit empty, but this one more so than most. I think it was because Jesus told so many stories about weddings, and none of them ended like this. In Jesus' stories, it is usually guys like me who miss out on the wedding feast and guys like the one in the cart park who are invited in. Don't get me wrong, I'm very thankful I have already RSVP'ed for my invite. Which makes me all the more dark for having only shared my finger food with him.

Scott

The secret

Planning to be in conversation this week? Or going to give a talk or a bible study? Got any emails to write? Here's some good advice . . .

"The secret to being boring is to say everything."
Voltaire

The brand new Jonker!

Top stuff Ben and Kate!
Welcome Hugh!
Keen to chat while your on leave Benny! When are you on skype?

Scott

It's fathers day here in a few weeks time. I've been dobbed in for the family service talk again. So this time I'm putting out a pre-emptive strike. Can anyone throw me a bone? I'm talking about a passage, an idea, an illustration, a kiddies visual . . . anything If you get me something I can use, I'll mention your name in the sermon. Promise. Scott

Five

On Friday, we have been married for 5 years. To some, that is not very long. To others fo you, it will seem a very long time.

We went out for dinner to our favourite place and had a top time. It just all went too quickly.

As we have seen lately with postcard secrets, to post is to be, to validate what is.

So, it is with a full heart that I post that I love my wife and the last 5 years (plus the bit before). She is the greatest companion I could have wished for and she makes me laugh.



Scott

Breaking News

Archaeological Dig Uncovers Ancient Race Of Skeleton People December 8, 1999 Issue 35•45 AL JIZAH, EGYPT—A team of British and Egyptian archaeologists made a stunning discovery Monday, unearthing several intact specimens of "skeleton people"—skinless, organless humans who populated the Nile delta region an estimated 6,000 years ago. Enlarge Image An archaeologist examines the intact remains of a spooky "skeleton person." "This is an incredible find," said Dr. Christian Hutchins, Oxford University archaeologist and head of the dig team. "Imagine: At one time, this entire area was filled with spooky, bony, walking skeletons." "The implications are staggering," Hutchins continued. "We now know that the skeletons we see in horror films and on Halloween are not mere products of the imagination, but actually lived on Earth." Standing at the excavation site, a 20-by-20-foot square pit along the Nile River, Hutchins noted key elements of the find. "The skeletons lived in this mud-brick structure, which, based on what we know of these people, was probably haunted," he said. "Although we found crude cooking utensils in the area, as well as evidence of crafts like pottery and weaving, we are inclined to believe that the skeletons' chief activity was jumping out at nearby humans and scaring them. And though we know little of their language and means of communication, it is likely that they said 'boogedy-boogedy' a lot." Approximately 200 yards west of the excavation site, the archaeologists also found evidence of farming. "What's puzzling about this," Cambridge University archaeologist Sir Ian Edmund-White said, "is that skeletons would not benefit from harvested crops, as any food taken orally would immediately fall through the hole behind the jaw and down through the rib cage, eventually hitting the ground. Our best guess is that they scared away a group of human farmers, then remained behind to haunt the dwelling. Or perhaps they bartered goods in a nearby city to acquire skeleton accessories, such as chains, coffins and tattered, dirty clothing." Enlarge Image An artist's rendering of what a warrior-skeleton may have looked like. Continued Edmund-White: "The hole in that theory, however, is that a 1997 excavation of this area which yielded extensive records of local clans and merchants made no mention of even one animated mass of bones coming to town for the purpose of trade. But we are taking great pains to recover as much of the site as possible, while also being extremely careful not to fall victim to some kind of spooky skeleton curse." As for what led to the extinction of the skeletons, Edmund-White offered a theory. "Perhaps an Egyptian priest or king broke the curse of the skeletons, either by defeating the head skeleton in combat or by discovering the magic words needed to send their spirits back to Hell," Edmund-White said. "In any case, there is strong evidence that the Power of Greyskull played a significant role in the defeat of the skeleton people." According to Hutchins, the skeletons bear numerous similarities to humans, leading him to suspect that there may be an evolutionary link between the two species. "Like humans, these creatures walked upright on two legs and possessed highly developed opposable thumbs," Edmund-White said. "These and many other similarities lend credence to the theory that hundreds of thousands of years ago, human development passed through a skeletal stage. These skeletons may, in fact, be ancestors of us all." "Any of us could be part skeleton," he added. Other experts disagreed. "The evidence of an evolutionary link between humans and skeletons is sparse at best," said Dr. Terrance Schneider of the University of Chicago. "Furthermore, it is downright unscientific to theorize that skeleton life originated in Egypt merely because mummies, another species of monster, are indigenous to the area. Spooky creatures are found all over the world, from the vampires of Transylvania to the headless horsemen of Sleepy Hollow." www.onion.com

Fearless

I was tempted to put this on Ben's blog but this is something that really needed to go on mine. It is now 100% of who I am and what I love doing. The little guy loves to ride shotgun nowdays and at least part of the fun is eating my nose and steering me by the ears. He is fearless. I hope never looses it.

Scott (and Ben)

Justin's most recent post (www.moffattnyc.blogspot.com) gives you a glimpse into the world of postcard confessions. Scarey stuff. I've been picking up a few of these over the last while and hesitate to open a door to that place. But here are some to add to think ponderings. But by far and away the most scarey thing is that I reckon everyone you pass today could write one of these postcards, as well as that person who you saw in the mirror this morning too. For me, that's the most disturbing bit of all. So, thatnks J-man for the verses and reminder. Scott