All's Fair in Love and War

You'll all be pleased to know that we're all feeling much better this week. I think we're well over the illness that was going round, though there are still a few people here feeling a bit rotten with it.

This weekend has been the Women's Staff Conference, which has meant that I have been amusing the children for some of this weekend. Let me take this moment to ask you, in the style of Pulp Fiction, if you know what they call Burger King in Australia? They call it Hungry Jack's. Mmmmmmmm...that is a tasty burger.

Last night Gus, Ian, Matt and I had a game of Risk (I'm being a bit heavy on italics today). We started at 8pm and I believe that the final dice were rolled at 1:30am. I say 'I believe' because I wasn't there. I had been dumped unceremoniously out of the game half-an-hour earlier. My noble Blue Freedom Fighters were finally overcome by Matt's sinister Green Menace on the fertile plains of Asia. I blame Gus. It was quite fitting that he was in charge of the Red pieces considering the amount of blood that was shed because of his relentless trash talking and behind-the-scenes puppetry. Matt, who was ill and only playing for his second ever time, won purely based on the fact that Gus spent the whole game convincing him to attack Ian and I and giving him strategy tips on the best way to do it. Ian and I pulled together our alliance against this Axis of Evil a little too late and there was nothing to prevent Green domination against the backdrop of a laughing, Red-faced Gus. Risk, like Monopoly, really brings out the worst in people - though I'd be up for another game tonight like a shot if only I didn't need sleep. I suppose Matt does deserve some credit. He steadfastly resisted my efforts to keep Eastern Australia in British hands.

Xanthe is not only sitting up unaided but she now claps on command. She's like a Furby, but more work and a lot cuter.

It's funny. You'd expect, on some levels, living in community to be like Risk and Monopoly in that it should bring out the worst in people. Living in one another's pockets (not literally) really tests you . Funnily enough, I find that Cornerstone is bringing out the best in me. I think it's because it's not just about being community, but being a Christian community. Because of this community life becomes a constant drive to love and consider others better than yourself. The paradox is that the community itself (full of supportive, like-minded people) actually aids you in doing this. That sounds like God economics to me - to create a situation that brings you down and builds you up at the same time.

I'm off to research Risk strategies now. There must be a way that even I can win. I'm just too nice. That's my problem.