Queasy Rider

I had another go on the dirt bike last weekend. Matt decided that I was ready for stage two and let me wear a helmet this time. We zoomed round the paddock by the mat shed (where the magic happens) on a dirt track made slippery and unpredictable by the recent downpour. Well, Matt 'zoomed' round on his bike. I think that what I was doing could be more accurately described as a 'trundle'. I have learnt a new Aussie term as well - 'stacking' the bike i.e. to crash it. I'll leave it to your imagination as to why I've become acquainted with that particular turn of phrase but suffice to say that it was a good thing I was thrown well clear of the wreckage this time or it would be my obituary that you would be reading right now. Note to self: wait until mud has dried and less slippery before riding again. Maybe next week Matt will let me take the training wheels off.

Wednesday night was the second stage of the State of Origin 'football' game. In Australia they are also afflicted with that colonial disease of calling their national game (in this case Rugby League) 'football' despite the fact that it is played with the hands. The State of Origin is an annual grudge match between a side made up of players from New South Wales and a side made up of players from Queensland. There is a fair bit of rivalry between these two states and it's quite an entertaining show. Despite living in NSW I decided to support Queensland on the grounds that it is the 'underdog' state - plus being asked to choose between 'Queen' and 'Wales' was only going to end one way. Queensland beat NSW in the first two games (in a best out of three series) so have already won. So this is what supporting the winning side feels like? It's pretty good. Maybe I'll have to support Australia in the Rugby World Cup.

'Football' is also known as 'footy'. This isn't unheard of in the UK, but surely here it should be 'footo'? This is a country where I would have been known as a Bappo minister, so why the selective suffixes?


I've got some more thoughts on community for you all. I think that one of my primary convictions about community is that it's an immensely powerful thing for evangelism. It seems to me that when God calls Abraham He does so to establish a nation - a community. The purpose of this national community is then to be a light to the surrounding nations. In Deuteronomy 4:6 Moses explains that God gave the Law so that the other nations will see the wisdom of a God-centred life. Furthermore, in Exodus 19:5-6 God explains that the role of Israel is to be a 'kingdom of priests' - in other words be a nation of people who mediate God's presence and intercede to the surrounding peoples. One of the main reasons that God establishes communities is for the purpose of mission. Therefore a true community focused around God will model an alternative lifestyle that will be at the very least noticeable if not downright attractive. I think that one of the hallmarks of this alternative lifestyle is relationships that go beyond the surface, relationships where genuinely rejoicing together and genuinely confessing together is a priority. I suppose that the question each of us needs to ask ourselves is how we make that kind of community happen.

Just to let you all know that we're heading off to Queensland on Friday so we'll be out of contact for a while. We're heading off to take part in this Scripture Union camp before having a week's holiday on the Sunshine Coast. I probably won't be able to update the blog in that time, but at least the next time I do you'll get some nice holiday photos and news from another part of the country.