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Guess how I took this funnly looking picture?

Haven't blogged in the past week 'cos I'm spending all my time figuring out
how to use my new Mac... I think I'm getting there.

Will the self-righteous inherit the earth?

http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=306190&area=/insight/insight__comment_and_analysis/

 

As a thinking Christian I'm OK with a bit of mystery - and as a New Testament Scholar in training I am happy to tear through the scriptures and glue them together again in interesting ways.  My faith / trust in Jesus remains in tact and I don't suffer from cognitive dissonance - mostly an overwhelming sense of an amazedness.

 

I believe in searching for the truth - using the gifts of historical study, of reason and intellect.  I don't belief in suspending disbelief and I don't buy into eighteenth century empiricism.

 

But that's just me.

 

I also recommend a good dose of Marcus Borg.

 

Read the article - it was interesting.

 

 

 

Slow and steady

Slow and steady wins the race. Not sure if I am going to win any races, but I sure am slow and not that steady when it comes to updating my blog. This HUGE snail was in Cintsa... my dog Tully would have gone insane trying to crunch it in her mouth like she does with all our local garden snails. I missed her, but I'm glad she didn't find a snail this big to drag into the lounge.

The comment below was from a movie - Junebug. Its a slow film - my sort of movie - I really enjoyed it. I wonder if God is the one who does the changing, or if its just us who change in response to God?

"God loves you just the way you are... but he loves you too much to let you stay that way."

New Year

Merry Christmas (a bit late) and a Happy New Year!

The readings for tomorrow are about the boy Jesus at the temple, and young Samuel - also serving at the temple... It made me wonder what the boy Jesus aspired to become...

I thought of a question - inspired by the Walt Disney movie - "The Kid" - What would your eight year old or twelve year old self say to your grown up self?

Are you who you were intended to be?

I particularly like the part when the 8 year old version of Bruce Willis buries his head in his hands and exclaims "We don't have a dog?!!!"

Back to the Cape!

From PTA - CT 2006

Last week Heather, Tullamore (the dog) and I crossed the country voortrekker style to get back to the Cape. As I have already mentioned - we have been stationed in Paarl. We were able to make it to the Paarl Church last Sunday - what a warm community - a great place to take my first (almost grown up) steps in the ministry... I am responsible for two whole societies, one in Paarl and one in Franschoek. (I could not ask for a more beautiful commute).

We're going to miss the friends that we've left behind in Potchefstroom and Pretoria, and my colleagues and their families scattered across the land like seeds. (I wish you all peace as you summon up the courage to preach your first Christmas sermons - in your new churches! May you be filled with the creativity to speak the inconceivable into being.) To friends - don't be strangers - we will be back to visit I am sure.

(Don't you just love the way Tullamore snuck herself into this picture (bottom left).

We had an awesome time crossing the country - bypassing the big trucking routes along the long back roads.... Got me singing Michelle Shocked again - East Texas (Freestate, Northern Cape etc.), Red Clay, Back Roads (something like that).

Ho Ho Ho!

It's that time of the year again!

The decorations are up in the shops - in a BIG way! I am packing my books, kitchen, and stuff into boxes and getting ready to move - my exams are almost over - it must be Christmas time.

But this year - I have to preach at my new Church on Christmas day. I've never preached at Christmas before!?

Its quite exciting. But now I have to come up with something cool and creatively captivating... Hmm....

This picture is from Helen Martin's owl house in Nieu Bethesda - very beautiful little nativity scene.

New addition to the family

Tullamore

Meet Tullamore.

Our brand new Irish Terrier. (She's still gloating over Ireland's win last night.) We've named her Tullamore, after my Gran and Grandpa's old house in Gonubie near East London. Tullamore is where I first met McGinty - my Grandfather Apple's Irish Terrier.

She's in her second day with us and already falling into routine - my only complaint is having to run down the stairs with her in the middle of the night when she needs to pee. (She sleeps in a box next to our bed and wakes me up with a whine when she wants to go outside.)

Her two favourite toys are a piece of rope and a squeaky hedgehog.

Anyways - its feeding time - just thought I'd make her famous.

More pics of her are here.

The force be with you

(I am sure this is profound - one day when I look back on my blog I will remember why)

Today we met some of the incoming phase ones - people who begin the journey like we did (the group of phase ones of which I was a part) in 2004. Its quite awesome to think back to those days - phase one was my biggest deterrent to getting into the ministry, I didn't know how I would cope. I convinced myself that it was a good idea because it would be the best way to learn to be a relevant minister in a very difficult context.

I learnt some skills - but the question as to whether I will ever be able to be truly 'in the context' remains. Perhaps that was the lesson - I will never be a very good chameleon - but as an authentic and original Angus engaging in different contexts and being as much my self as I am - then I think God will be able to use the fool that God made in the way that God wants to use him.

But I'll have to say, whatever doesn't kill you builds character, and sometimes character is a good thing.

One of the things that I have learnt, or been reminded of along the way is that the Kingdom of God is not in the Church - the Kingdom of God comes in the work that we are each called to do, and that we do do. Some wise person whose book I read said that Jesus said 'the Kingdom of God is here' and since then we've been mistakenly looking for it in the church. I think that if we look for it in the church we will end up broken and disillusioned - but if we find it in our interaction with the world around us, in our work within the Spirit - that will be a source of life and not destruction.

Then we will begin to see the Kingdom of God.
(And the force will be with you)

On the way to church this morning

I saw two elephants. Then I saw hundreds of motorbikes being ridden by teddy bears taking humans somewhere.

Isn't life strange.

PS. I've added some books to the book blog... check them out: http://gruntlebooks.blogspot.com

I'm better now

On the right is a picture of the staff and students at John Wesley College. I'm the tall handsome guy in the middle at the back. The guy in the pornographically red academic gown in the middle is digitaldion (the dean of studs)! The photograph is a bit fuzzy 'cos it was taken through my cell phone which got dirty in my pocket. (I'll explain some other time - about snotty tissues and camera lenses.)

This week is the last week at John Wesley college for many of us who go to circuits this year. It feels a bit strange to have to grow up and be responsible after being a student for a year. Please pray for us all as we take on new responsibilities in the big wide world. (That we may keep something of that laid back student attitude.)

One of the things that has come accross in the seminars that we've been having to prepare us to go back to the circuit is the notion of knowing who you are - what you're called to do - and be organised enough to do it. I'm busy trying to organise myself a bit now... But I think I do have a pretty good idea of who I am and what I'm called to do.

I am Darth Vader - and I am called to dominate the universe. 

Dried eyeballs

Today I feel a bit like Zefrank describes in his video blog... I've got flu. Heather brought it home from school on the weekend, and now she's left it at home with me. Aaarggh. SO if I read too long, or look at my screen for too long my eyeballs seem to dry up.

I must go back to bed now.

Watch this!

Say this tongue twister, or else...

At last, they're sending him somewhere useful

 

National Teacher's Sunday

As some of you may know, I am married to a teacher. Being married to a teacher has taught me new respect for these admirable and very important people - then again I am a bit biased.

I want to try and encourage as many churches as possible - throughout the country to have a special event in their services on the first Sunday of the first term next year. At this service I want churches to pray specifically for teachers; dedicating them, and praying for them in the important and difficult task which they do.

In South Africa especially teachers are struggling as their job becomes more and more difficult. Classes are overcrowded, many children speak different languages at home to the language they speak in school. Aids is having a significant impact as more and more children are becoming the senior figure in their homes. Parents are busier and busier having less time to help children with their school work.

Teachers often fill many roles for children - they act as parent, counsellor, social worker, minister, special needs educator... and so much more.

I feel that as churches, as Christians we need to support teachers more and more so I am setting up a campaign to promote a national teacher's sunday on the first Sunday of the first term of the year...

Please sign up for the campaign mailing list by visitin http://groups.google.co.za/group/teachers-sunday

Or send me an e-mail at gruntleblog@yahoo.co.uk

Stolen Identity

Some villain has made off with my web url! I am getting failed delivery reports from e-mails that I haven't sent. So if you get a strange e-mail from something @ gruntle.co.za it wasn't sent by me, or by a virus on my pc. It was sent by a villain!

Just so you know.

Don't just sit there... blog something

I am busy writing an essay on the Hermeneutic of Supicion.

Why am I writing this?
What does it mean?
Am I here to oppress you?

hmmmm......

And just why did I include that cartoon?