AN entertaining film with several moral tales. A young Viking boy is different, he isn't good at killing, he thinks differently to his peers and likes to read. He and his father have poor communication. For his Viking warrior father, the son is a failure and he's ashamed of him. The boy, Hiccup, cannot make his father understand what his concerns are - they have no common ground and the boy's mother is dead.
The Vikings slay dragons, which steal their herds and food. The dragons, meanwhile, are trying to assuage a hungry, mighty dragon that lives inside the dragons' island. The fighting between dragons and Vikings has been going on for 300 years.
Hiccup learns to train dragons by working with a dragon that has a misformed tail fin. He makes a prosthetic tail fin for the dragon and learns to ride him. Through learning to work with the dragon he learns how to tame other dragons and shows his peers in dragon-fighting school. He teaches them all to fly dragons.
When Hiccup's father discovers that his son's dragon, Toothless, knows the location of the dragons' island, he chains him and forces him to head for the island. The inevitable showdown (high noon at OK Corral) takes place. The dragons all fly away when the Vikings come but they Vikings have unwittingly set free the monster dragon that has been keeping the others enslaved. Only Hiccup and his peers with their flying dragons can save the day. They do but at the cost of Hiccup's foot. He too then has a prosthetic appliance attached to his leg.
Just because something has been done one way for 300 years doesn't make it right.
Even with a disability, a boy or a dragon can save the day.
Being able to see things differently can be a real help - even when it isn't popular.
A parent can learn from a child.
The enemy that you've been fighting for centuries may truly be your ally.
Defeating the enemy that you see may unleash the enemy that you cannot.
Having a "deal" where you impose your will on another is no deal at all.
Communicating isn't just about talking and talking more loudly or with accompanying loud noises doesn't make it communication.
All this - and more - from a film for children. Plus it's fun and the animation is awesome.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
The not so great unwashed
THAT resolution didn't take long to break. Just last week I decided to write every day and here I am three days late blogging about three days of readings. Sigh. My road to godliness remains bumpy.
SOAP readings from Northside Community Church
James 3 13-18, James 4 1-10 and James 4 11-17
James 3 13 - 18 Two kinds of wisdom
"The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace‑loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere." Now that's something to work toward.
James 4 1-10 Submit yourselves to God
"You do not have, because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." Where's my hair shirt?
James 4 11-17 Boasting about tomorrow
"You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." Life is short, eternity long.
Lifejournal Reading Plan Youversion
1 Samuel 13, 1 Chronicles 2, 1 Chronicles 3, 2 Corinthians 12
1 Samuel 13
Continuing with the swords and sandals epic tales of the clashes of the Israelites and the Philistines one things stands out "Jehovah hath sought him a man after his own heart". Now allowing for the language of the times, if I think that God is seeking a person after God's own heart, then that is a message that is loud and clear.
1 Chronicles 2 and 1 Chronicles 3 is more begetting and I'll leave those passages to those that understand their purpose because I do not.
2 Corinthians 12
"I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." All I can say, is thank God for that because it's abundantly clear that I am weak.
1 Samuel 14, 1 Chronicles 14, 2 Corinthians 13
1 Samuel 14
More swords and sandals. The only message I understand is that it is important to follow the word of the Lord.
1 Chronicles 14
David was a mighty king and favoured by God.
2 Corinthians 13
"For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him through the power of God toward you." Nice.
"Be perfected; be comforted; be of the same mind; live in peace: and the God of love and peace shall be with you." Definitely a goal to strive for.
"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all." Thanks be to God, in Jesus' name we pray.
1 Samuel 15, 1 Samuel 16, 1 Chronicles 5, Matthew 1
1 Samuel 15
"To obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim (following household gods)." Sadly, I'm a rebel without a pause (never mind a cause) and following instructions has never been my strong point. More to do.
1 Samuel 16
"David took the harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed". David was favoured by God. As the youngest son he tended the sheep yet God made him mighty king. He was also musical and his music soothed Saul who was troubled by an evil spirit sent by God. What I take from that is that if I follow God and the will of God then I may be refreshed in spirit.
1 Chronicles 5
More fighting and loss of lands if the generations go against God's word.
Matthew 1
New Testament begats - 14 generations three times over between David and Jesus. It must have been a comfort to the early Christians. Also it fulfilled the prophecies.
SOAP readings from Northside Community Church
James 3 13-18, James 4 1-10 and James 4 11-17
James 3 13 - 18 Two kinds of wisdom
"The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace‑loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere." Now that's something to work toward.
James 4 1-10 Submit yourselves to God
"You do not have, because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." Where's my hair shirt?
James 4 11-17 Boasting about tomorrow
"You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." Life is short, eternity long.
Lifejournal Reading Plan Youversion
1 Samuel 13, 1 Chronicles 2, 1 Chronicles 3, 2 Corinthians 12
1 Samuel 13
Continuing with the swords and sandals epic tales of the clashes of the Israelites and the Philistines one things stands out "Jehovah hath sought him a man after his own heart". Now allowing for the language of the times, if I think that God is seeking a person after God's own heart, then that is a message that is loud and clear.
1 Chronicles 2 and 1 Chronicles 3 is more begetting and I'll leave those passages to those that understand their purpose because I do not.
2 Corinthians 12
"I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." All I can say, is thank God for that because it's abundantly clear that I am weak.
1 Samuel 14, 1 Chronicles 14, 2 Corinthians 13
1 Samuel 14
More swords and sandals. The only message I understand is that it is important to follow the word of the Lord.
1 Chronicles 14
David was a mighty king and favoured by God.
2 Corinthians 13
"For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him through the power of God toward you." Nice.
"Be perfected; be comforted; be of the same mind; live in peace: and the God of love and peace shall be with you." Definitely a goal to strive for.
"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all." Thanks be to God, in Jesus' name we pray.
1 Samuel 15, 1 Samuel 16, 1 Chronicles 5, Matthew 1
1 Samuel 15
"To obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim (following household gods)." Sadly, I'm a rebel without a pause (never mind a cause) and following instructions has never been my strong point. More to do.
1 Samuel 16
"David took the harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed". David was favoured by God. As the youngest son he tended the sheep yet God made him mighty king. He was also musical and his music soothed Saul who was troubled by an evil spirit sent by God. What I take from that is that if I follow God and the will of God then I may be refreshed in spirit.
1 Chronicles 5
More fighting and loss of lands if the generations go against God's word.
Matthew 1
New Testament begats - 14 generations three times over between David and Jesus. It must have been a comfort to the early Christians. Also it fulfilled the prophecies.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Liberal application of SOAP
Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer (SOAP) is a recipe for reflection and learning. A liberal application of SOAP won't make me clean but it may help me to live next to God (as in cleanliness is next to Godliness), which is probably a good albeit challenging thing.
The SOAP readings from Northside Community Church for today are James 3 1-12 and this is called Taming the Tongue - "All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, 8 but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing."
Enough said, I really do think these readings are directed at me personally. In late October a counsellor suggested to me that I try and go one day (just one) without saying something negative, in an injurious tone or in a sarcastic way. Sadly, although I have tried every day, and been conscious of this goal every day, I haven't managed to stay positive in every word I utter for a single day in five months. Sigh.
Life Journal Reading Plan 1 Samuel 11-12, 1 Chronicles 11, 2 Corinthians 12
I struggle with much of the Old Testament, it truly is about thunder, fire and sword and while I enjoy sword and sandals as much as the next person - especially when starring Russell Crowe, Brad Pitt and Eric Bana - I find it difficult to see what all this smiting is telling me except for this "Only fear Jehovah, and serve him in truth with all your heart; for consider how great things he hath done for you." That at least is a message that I understand and can follow.
I don't trouble to try and understand the begats and the begetters in Chronicles, it is beyond me. I don't understand why I need to know the family trees of men who lived thousands of years ago.
"But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity and the purity that is toward Christ." Paul isn't my favourite writer but this is clear enough.
The SOAP readings from Northside Community Church for today are James 3 1-12 and this is called Taming the Tongue - "All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, 8 but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing."
Enough said, I really do think these readings are directed at me personally. In late October a counsellor suggested to me that I try and go one day (just one) without saying something negative, in an injurious tone or in a sarcastic way. Sadly, although I have tried every day, and been conscious of this goal every day, I haven't managed to stay positive in every word I utter for a single day in five months. Sigh.
Life Journal Reading Plan 1 Samuel 11-12, 1 Chronicles 11, 2 Corinthians 12
I struggle with much of the Old Testament, it truly is about thunder, fire and sword and while I enjoy sword and sandals as much as the next person - especially when starring Russell Crowe, Brad Pitt and Eric Bana - I find it difficult to see what all this smiting is telling me except for this "Only fear Jehovah, and serve him in truth with all your heart; for consider how great things he hath done for you." That at least is a message that I understand and can follow.
I don't trouble to try and understand the begats and the begetters in Chronicles, it is beyond me. I don't understand why I need to know the family trees of men who lived thousands of years ago.
"But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity and the purity that is toward Christ." Paul isn't my favourite writer but this is clear enough.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Nanny McPhee and The Big Bang
A YOUNG friend joined us today. Lucien is a very mature six year old who can run very fast, read well, keep up with fast moving action in films and loves our daughter Rachel, who's twice his age. In honour of him visiting us we went to see Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang, a film set in wartime England with four children (two rich in material goods but lacking parental love and supervision and two poor in material goods but rich in family bonds) who receive the services of Nanny McPhee. Nanny works on the basis that when you need her but don't want her, she must stay but when you want her but don't need her she must leave.
The children rich in family love live on a farm with their mother while their father is away fighting in the war. They have to make sacrifices to ensure they keep the farm. Nanny teaches the children not to fight, to share, the co-operate, to show bravery, to be persistent and to make the leaps of faith necessary in life so that hope is not lost.
It's done very well complete with piglets who can fly, climb trees and are good at synchronised swimming. It was a delightful film and the children and I enjoyed it. Laughing, crying, being startled and sitting on the edge of our seats (literally in Lucien's case) as the action continued and the story progressed.
Similarly, the stories in 1 Samuel 8-10 are big picture stories with fast moving action, war and pestilence, goodies and baddies and God who demands that the right way be followed. If you do things God's way then you get the rewards, but woe betide you if you don't. I mean no disrespect in drawing parallels with Nanny McPhee but it does seem to be My Way or the highway with the Old Testament God and Nanny McPhee.
The message for me in 2 Corinthians 10 is twofold
"For we are not bold to number or compare ourselves with certain of them that commend themselves: but they themselves, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding" and "he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. 18 For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth."
The SOAP (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer) readings for today from Northside Community Church are James 2 14-26
The telling message in this is that deeds without faith is useless as is faith without deeds. "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead." Faith is the part of the transaction with which I struggle - "I believe Lord, help Thou my unbelief".
The children rich in family love live on a farm with their mother while their father is away fighting in the war. They have to make sacrifices to ensure they keep the farm. Nanny teaches the children not to fight, to share, the co-operate, to show bravery, to be persistent and to make the leaps of faith necessary in life so that hope is not lost.
It's done very well complete with piglets who can fly, climb trees and are good at synchronised swimming. It was a delightful film and the children and I enjoyed it. Laughing, crying, being startled and sitting on the edge of our seats (literally in Lucien's case) as the action continued and the story progressed.
Similarly, the stories in 1 Samuel 8-10 are big picture stories with fast moving action, war and pestilence, goodies and baddies and God who demands that the right way be followed. If you do things God's way then you get the rewards, but woe betide you if you don't. I mean no disrespect in drawing parallels with Nanny McPhee but it does seem to be My Way or the highway with the Old Testament God and Nanny McPhee.
The message for me in 2 Corinthians 10 is twofold
"For we are not bold to number or compare ourselves with certain of them that commend themselves: but they themselves, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding" and "he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. 18 For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth."
The SOAP (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer) readings for today from Northside Community Church are James 2 14-26
The telling message in this is that deeds without faith is useless as is faith without deeds. "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead." Faith is the part of the transaction with which I struggle - "I believe Lord, help Thou my unbelief".
Friday, April 9, 2010
Today's readings
SOAP (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer) readings from Northside Community Church
James 2 1-13
I'm finding that the readings that have been chosen (randomly? through divine intervention?, coincidentally?) speak to me of the things that I need to hear. This reading is about not favouring those who rich in material things over those who are poor in material things but about treating all equally. It's also about not judging others (You talking to me God?) for one sin while we are busy doing another. It also has a strong message about mercy "For judgement is without mercy to him that hath showed no mercy: mercy glorieth against judgement".
Life Journal Reading Plan
1 Samuel 3-5, Psalm 77, 2 Corinthians 8
Samuel is beyond me today, I will have to reread it to have any idea what it means except that it is important to do the will of God and not allow others for whom you are responsible to say or do anything against God.
The Psalms are always a comfort and I love today's - it speaks to me directly.
"I will cry unto God with my voice, 2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: 3 I remember God, and am disquieted:
James 2 1-13
I'm finding that the readings that have been chosen (randomly? through divine intervention?, coincidentally?) speak to me of the things that I need to hear. This reading is about not favouring those who rich in material things over those who are poor in material things but about treating all equally. It's also about not judging others (You talking to me God?) for one sin while we are busy doing another. It also has a strong message about mercy "For judgement is without mercy to him that hath showed no mercy: mercy glorieth against judgement".
Life Journal Reading Plan
1 Samuel 3-5, Psalm 77, 2 Corinthians 8
Samuel is beyond me today, I will have to reread it to have any idea what it means except that it is important to do the will of God and not allow others for whom you are responsible to say or do anything against God.
The Psalms are always a comfort and I love today's - it speaks to me directly.
"I will cry unto God with my voice, 2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: 3 I remember God, and am disquieted:
4 Thou holdest mine eyes watching: 5 I have considered the days of old, 6 I call to remembrance my song in the night: 7 Will the Lord cast off for ever? 8 Is his loving kindness clean gone for ever? 9 Hath God forgotten to be gracious?
10 And I said, This is my infirmity; 11 I will make mention of the deeds of Jehovah; 12 I will meditate also upon all thy work, 13 Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: 14 Thou art the God that doest wonders: 15 Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people,
16 The waters saw thee, O God; 17 The clouds poured out water; 18 The voice of thy thunder was in the whirlwind; 19 Thy way was in the sea,20 Thou leddest thy people like a flock,"
I'm not a big fan of Paul's but I enjoyed reading this passage. The strongest message for me today was "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might become rich."
There is no doubt that I've experienced great poverty of the spirit and it's about time that I spent as much time on my spiritual life as I do on the physical, intellectual and emotional. Thanks for being with me today.
Born again and Bible readings
IN late October last year, I went through an experience that rocked my world, that left me depressed, thinking suicidal and homicidal thoughts and questioning my life and existence. It doesn't matter what the incident was, what matters is that I started a journey of exploration.
I did the usual: I reached out to family and friends who supported me through the worst. I saw professionals including counsellors, doctors and beauty therapists who attended to the physical and emotional symptoms that I was experiencing as a result of the events I'd been through.
I'd gone some way but was stuck and couldn't move on. Christmas and New Year were tough. I had already abandoned much of my busy life - study, extra work, voluntary commitments - through my sheer inability to cope with anything other than going to work and getting by.
I'd been attending a church with my son and had been enjoying the experience. They had good music, a friendly crowd and interesting preachers.
Then on January 31, 2010 I went to church and Sam Haddon, the associate pastor at the Northside Community Church in Crows Nest preached a sermon on forgiveness and my world rocked on its foundations (again) and I started crying, shaking with the tears, with dribble running down my face and my nose going red (I could feel it).
My husband says that it was divine intervention. I don't make such claims, I just know that at that moment as I sat there listening to Sam I broke through a barrier that had been in my heart for a long time.
And so the journey begins . . .
Since then, I've attended a 10 session course called Search for Life , which I found helpful and now that it's finished I've started a Bible reading program through my iPhone and I'm working through the SOAP (scripture, observation, application and prayer) readings listed each week in Northside's newsletter.
A word or thee on Bibles
I have always had the Jerusalem Bible but it's so old (and in the past, so infrequently used) that it's full of dust mites that every time I open it I get an attack of the sneezes. As I was brought up a Catholic, I'd used the Authorised Knox in the past. Faced with a sneeze-causing Bible and the desire to read the Bible daily, I ventured into Borders but didn't care for their offerings at the prices I could afford and ended getting a King James version for $AUD15.95 at the newsagent.
Additionally, I downloaded a free Bible from the iTunes store and it is the American Standard.
People who know about these things tell me the New International version is best. My son says a bad Bible is better than no Bible and on this we agree.
What's next . . .
Armed with my Bibles (print and virtual) and Northside's SOAP readings and YouVersion's Life Journal reading plan I started reading the Bible daily. I don't pretend to be a Bible scholar, I don't pretend that I understand what's going on or that I have any great insight into God's word. What I have is a thirst and I'm going to the well. I pray for faith. I thought I'd share my journey with you and that's what the plan is for the next year.
I did the usual: I reached out to family and friends who supported me through the worst. I saw professionals including counsellors, doctors and beauty therapists who attended to the physical and emotional symptoms that I was experiencing as a result of the events I'd been through.
I'd gone some way but was stuck and couldn't move on. Christmas and New Year were tough. I had already abandoned much of my busy life - study, extra work, voluntary commitments - through my sheer inability to cope with anything other than going to work and getting by.
I'd been attending a church with my son and had been enjoying the experience. They had good music, a friendly crowd and interesting preachers.
Then on January 31, 2010 I went to church and Sam Haddon, the associate pastor at the Northside Community Church in Crows Nest preached a sermon on forgiveness and my world rocked on its foundations (again) and I started crying, shaking with the tears, with dribble running down my face and my nose going red (I could feel it).
My husband says that it was divine intervention. I don't make such claims, I just know that at that moment as I sat there listening to Sam I broke through a barrier that had been in my heart for a long time.
And so the journey begins . . .
Since then, I've attended a 10 session course called Search for Life , which I found helpful and now that it's finished I've started a Bible reading program through my iPhone and I'm working through the SOAP (scripture, observation, application and prayer) readings listed each week in Northside's newsletter.
A word or thee on Bibles
I have always had the Jerusalem Bible but it's so old (and in the past, so infrequently used) that it's full of dust mites that every time I open it I get an attack of the sneezes. As I was brought up a Catholic, I'd used the Authorised Knox in the past. Faced with a sneeze-causing Bible and the desire to read the Bible daily, I ventured into Borders but didn't care for their offerings at the prices I could afford and ended getting a King James version for $AUD15.95 at the newsagent.
Additionally, I downloaded a free Bible from the iTunes store and it is the American Standard.
People who know about these things tell me the New International version is best. My son says a bad Bible is better than no Bible and on this we agree.
What's next . . .
Armed with my Bibles (print and virtual) and Northside's SOAP readings and YouVersion's Life Journal reading plan I started reading the Bible daily. I don't pretend to be a Bible scholar, I don't pretend that I understand what's going on or that I have any great insight into God's word. What I have is a thirst and I'm going to the well. I pray for faith. I thought I'd share my journey with you and that's what the plan is for the next year.
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