Heart of Winter...

Here, deep in the winters heart
Falls drops of icicle gold
From heaven to earth to me
Truth comes from storehouses cold

Reminding me of seasons
Life's chill lasts but for a day
A new spring dawns tomorrow
Warm suns rise over the way

And yet whilst now tears frozen
Drench the earth with God's blessing
Beautiful the cold morning
Songs of praise now expressing

To our God who made seasons
Even cold wind's biting air
Thank you for reminding me
That your joy is everywhere

In both coldness and in warmth
And in clouds and clear skies too
Life is life and hope is hope
May our souls rest well in You...

Shalom...

The throne of God

Where smoke ascends

Comes saintly prayers

From God's true friends

But not from song

Or spoken prayer

The hungry fed

Because they care

Our Sundays best

Is seen as vain

A hobo helped

His home a lane

The smoky plume

Shows justice done

With life stained hands

A battle won

Let justice flow

Let true love show

May God be pleased

Shalom below...

Hysteria = 100 million + one dead king of pop!

Hysteria:- a state of extreme emotion: a state of extreme or exaggerated emotion such as excitement or panic...

If there is anything in today's world absolutely guaranteed to induce wide-spread epidemics of hysteria then it is the chance of becoming a multi-millionaire. In a similar way, the death of a famous mega-star will also produce an unparalleled hysterical reaction. These two realities have intertwined this week in a crazy five day period like no other in recent memory. This white man will never forget seeing long queues of people extending out from newsagents and Tattslotto agencies into the centre walkways of major shopping centres this week seeking their chance of fortune courtesy of a 100 million lotto draw, a record draw in Australian history. Ten million tickets were sold for the draw, that's one for every two Australians living in the 'lucky country'. Two people did get lucky, sharing the major prize and instantly becoming multi-millionaires in the process. Good for them! They are sure to be instantly rich, but also instantly people's 'best friends'. They're sure to have instant stress and instant anxiety as to how to deal with their sudden wealth. Good luck! As for the rest of Australia who lined up and hoped beyond hope that their lucky numbers would fall - well this white man says get over it. I heard today that there is more chance you could be pooed on by a flying bird than win Tattslotto. Funny that - getting pooed on by a bird is deemed lucky in some cultures! Maybe all those million dollar dreamers should just queue up in the Melbourne Zoo aviary - they'd be sure to strike it lucky there!

And then there was MJ...Michael Jackson, the self-professed king of pop died last Friday morning aged 50, apparently the result of cardiac arrest mixed with prescription drug abuse. And then the world went into a hysterical meltdown the likes of which haven't been seen since the tragic accidental death of Princess Diana in 1997. In the past six days since Jackson's death, he has dominated news coverages, current affairs programs and numerous television docos have aired as tributes to the enigmatic freakshow genius entertainer who was Michael Jackson. The maligned sicko in life has now seemingly become some kind of messianic superstar in his death. All of the eccentricities, from his ghoulish appearance to his penchant for companionship with children all seem to have been waylaid post-mortem. Again, a saint is being made of a man who was nothing more than a social misfit with strange tendancies. This white man says remember Michael Jackson for who he really was - yes, a wonderfully gifted entertainer who bought musical enjoyment to millions world-wide. But he must always be remembered as an oddity of life; someone who thought he could do whatever he wanted in his own little fantasy world. I never liked either his music or his lifestyle but that is just my opinion. Let history judge him in a realistically balanced way. No-one is ever simply black or white...

Sleazy Old Men, Tattoos & "Ute-Gate"!

Often times things in life are not what they seem. Likewise, people are not always what they seem and what they say can be equally duplicitious. This week this white man stumbled on three random examples of pure charlatanism - one at his gym, another in the news and the final example in this nation's parliament. What do they prove? Simply that there are no bounds when it comes to two-faced people talking total rubbish for their own questionable means.

After a good work-out in my gym yesterday, I took a spa with most of the usual pool-users around 10AM most mornings. My spa companions consist of a regular group of 50-60 year old Greek/Italian men who, at the best of times are raucously loud and generally mischievous. A pain in the Speedos but generally harmless. Most of their conversation always reverts to their mutual 'admiration' of the few young females who enter the pool/sauna/spa area whilst they are there. Yesterday a young Filipino woman, a new member apparently, came into the spa whilst the most boorish of these older Mediterranean sleaze-bags was there. Talk about Casanova's most lecherous demon suddenly manifesting in the flesh! If this old rat could have bent over backwards any more for this poor unsuspecting woman he truly would have been kissing his own backside! It was a disgrace - the old sleaze was all over this woman - even offered her a back-rub in the spa. And if you believed this 'gentleman' it was simply just his hospitable nature welcoming this new lady to the Ascot Vale Leisure Centre Aquatic area. What it really was was just a gross opportunistic sleazy advance on a young woman who I doubt will ever take a spa or sauna again at the centre. Remember I mentioned that not many young women use the spa area in the morning between 10AM - 1PM? Now you know why! Simply sleazy lies!

Then I hear on the news today that the Belgian girl who suffered the apparent indignity of having half of her face tattooed while asleep(?) and claimed that she hadn't requested all those stars actually lied. She wanted all 56 stars on her face, for reasons I wouldn't know, but when her father expressed his horror at the situation then she concocted the "negligent tattooist" story. When I first heard about this story I immediately smelled a rat as I know that nobody, unless you're completely anaethesized or on some other drug, falls asleep during the process of getting a tattoo. And so her truth came out in the end and the tattooist, who himself resembled nothing less than a human freakshow, was vindicated. Lies and more lies!

And finally, when you look to your nation's governmental leadership for a good example of decency, transparency and honest sincerity you get "ute-gate!" It has been established now by an Aust Federal police investigation that someone in Canberra thought it would be a fine idea to implicate the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and the Treasurer Wayne Swan in a "funds for friends" type scandal that involved a fraudulent email and all sorts of political skullduggery. In short, someone lied in their attempt to smear Australia's leader and all fingers are pointing towards the Liberal Party. When the controversy first aired, the Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull was very pro-active in promptly suggesting Mr Rudd immediately apologise for this "scandalous error of judgment" and resign. Now Mr Turnbull finds the tables well and truly turned and he himself is being asked to pen his resignation over this fake effort to besmirch Mr Rudd and the ALP. Lies, lies and more lies!

Eventually your lies always find you out. It's simply a matter of when. Whether it's a lecherous old Greek geezer in a spa, or a naive silly Belgian woman with a faceful of potential regret or some yet un-named public servant responsible for what will prove to be one of the most infamous 'brilliant' cunning plans ever to backfire, the point is the same. Two-faced lies ultimately reveal their source to be exactly what they are - basic liars! The truth always comes out...Funny that, considering we all live under the watchful eye of a Creator God who, as one of His inherent divine qualities states, is TRUTH! When will people learn?!

My Hillsong Hiatus...

In a couple of weeks many young people in my church and other church-goers will be making their annual pilgrimage to Sydney, NSW for the Hillsong Conference. Over the past three years, this white man has accompanied the masses to 'megachurch Mecca' and, if really honest, gained a lot from the conference experience. So coming up to this time of year, I have had many youth presume that I'm again going to be a guest of the Houstons in the first week of July. And they have appeared slightly bemused when told that this year I'm not going. I have explained to many that I need to be around this year for planning purposes re. our own church's National Youth Conference at the end of this year. True in some part but not entirely. So I want to explain the real reasons I'm not going to Hillsong Conference this year...or to any Hillsong Conferences in the foreseeable future for that matter!

First, this year the headlining keynote speaker at Hillsong Conference is Joel Osteen. For those unaware, Osteen is the pastor of America's largest church, Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas. He is also one of the most outspoken apologists of the "prosperity gospel". In essence, this man holds the belief that the strength and sincerity of your Christian faith is inextricably linked to the state of your assets and income. In other words, the stronger in faith, the richer in wealth. It is the view that God's grace isn't just a reflection of your forgiveness, salvation and righteousness, but is tangibly linked with his blessing on your life in terms of your material prosperity. There is no other warped twisting of God's Word and Being that infuriates this white man more than prosperity gospel thinking. I've never once heard of any legitimately struggling, materially poor person of God spruiking prosperity gospel nonsense. I guess it really must only be the wealthy Kingdom-dwellers who are most blessed - Jesus must have 'unintentionally' left that one off His Beatitudes list! So with Joel Osteen headlining Hillsong Conference this year there is no chance I'd be supporting him or his ministry team in any way, shape or form.

Secondly, I have had a gutful of Hillsong Church themselves and their adherence to all things prosperity gospel. As a church they boast an annual income in excess of 50 million per annum. And I acknowledge that it is their money - what they choose to do with it is up to the church leadership in accordance with the agreeance of those members who make their own choice to give their titles and offerings into Hillsong. I guess I have just come to realise that they really don't need my paltry once-a-year offering of my time and money into their conference coffers and, more the point, I don't need to offer it. Actually, to be more precise, I don't want to offer it! I know Hillsong have more than enough people in their fields 'sowing seed into their harvest'. My seed would be better sown elsewhere. If there is a more materially-driven body of Christ in this nation than Hillsong Church then I'd like to know about them! They are as much prosperity gospelists as Osteen and Lakewood Church - perhaps just not as prosperous?! Yet!

Lastly, last year Hillsong Conference finished on the usual high it does on a Friday night with a praise & worship celebration night. The highlight of which was the appearance of one Michael Guglielmucci who, complete with oxygen mask etc... performed his renowned worship song "Healer". Following this, with 20 000 other attendees mostly in tears, including myself (unashamed to admit that given I cry once-a-week on cue when watching Find My Family!) watching on, Guglielmucci was prayed over by some of the most famous Christian speakers today. Of course this all happened before the sensational revelation that the whole Guglielmucci terminal cancer story was simply an elaborate, if not confusing hoax to deflect attention away from his real confessed condition of having a pornography addiction. Anyway, as far as I'm concerned there are two issues that I still cannot reconcile regarding the whole Guglielmucci scandal - if Hillsong church and their leadership are meant to be the 'spiritual giants' and 'front-runners' of this nations collective local Church with supposedly the most spiritually-intune Christians in their fold then why did not any of them discern or detect some issue with Mike Guglielmucci's situation? Was the devil just way too sneaky when it came to Mike and his 'cancer'? And secondly, I have seen few, if any sincere attempts by Hillsong to maturely and positively deal with the scandal from their end. Yet all it seemed they were interested in was pulling their CD's with his songs on them off the shelves so as not to tarnish their precious name. Constant trawling and copyright restraining of Youtube downloads of the song "Healer" also make Hillsong look bullyish and petulant. What I have still to reconcile in myself is that I was present, I was witness to and I was spiritually moved by what ended up being one of the greatest church shams this nation has ever seen in recent times. And for that, at this time at least, I am unwilling to return to the venue where I was duped and played for a fool.

So this white man isn't attending Hillsong Conference this year. By no means is this a protest against Hillsong and my views must not be taken as authoritative and even definitively correct. They are just my views - nothing more, nothing less, take them as you please. And as I said before, I won't be returning in the foreseeable future. I never say never because who knows; maybe one day Hillsong church might begin to see past the collection plate and return to what I believe is a truer essence of Christian living - something like what Micah spoke of in 6:8 - that is living out justice to the poor, loving mercy and walking with God in humility. So there it is...bye-bye Brian and Bobby...have a 'richly' blessed conference!

The Return!

The white man has returned! Sound the anthems, blast those trumpets, brush the webs off the podium for this white man's one month sabbatical is over! Now, having got that opening self-indulgent diatribe out of the way, time for some truth-telling. The truth is this - this blog space, this haven from the buffeting waves of life had not been fulfilling it's proper purpose. Rather than being a therapeutic outlet for the whinges and whimsical wisdom of the white man, this blog had become a circus of superficiality for nothings sake. Don't get me wrong - I enjoy the lighter side of life as much as the next clown but if this blog is to mean anything to it's creator then it has to be true to the sensibilities of the creator.

Hence, one difference in this renewed white man's world is that there will probably not be an entry every day. How quickly a tool can become the master - the self-induced pressure to put something on here on a daily basis was unreasonable and ridiculous. That's why much of late April and early May was 'devoted' to vacuous pictures of kids stuck in toilets and so on...that was reason enough for this white man to take a contemplative break from a world slowly becoming a joke. Again, be rest assured that this world isn't going to transform into a 21st century version of the book of Lamentations. There'll still be those lighter moments, for the what the wise one once said still holds true; if you don't laugh you'll cry! But there'll definitely be more reflective wisdom, poetic masterpieces (in the poets mind anyway!) and theological commentary.

That's all for now - the white man looks forward to making his world here a better place, a more sincere place and a realm he feels happy to be king in once more!

Maker...

Prismic brilliance, light refracts

Word speaks power, darkness cracks

Space torn open, sky is made

Earth appears, foundations laid

Life pours down in raindrops clear

Maker smiles at His blue sphere

Green plants breathe as one in praise

Sun joins in with warming rays

Small fish move in rhythmic waves

Brown bats hang in hollow caves

Field mice run in open fields

Night owls watch, their instinct yields

Then from the earth, man appears

Crowning glory soon in tears

Eden lost, perfection fades

Creation groans, sin cascades

The Makers heart bleeds broken

A cross cries pain unspoken

But love holds strong to a place

A garden of peace and grace

Where we all can choose to live

If only we freely give

Our life to the Maker's hand

Back to where His love shaped man...

No Place Like Home...

Funny Video

It pays not to mix karaoke, a tone-deaf voice and alcohol!

Verse of the Day...

Poor Kid!

Now that's what I'd call unfortunate, but funny...

Busy busy...

Please excuse the lack of posts in the last couple of days - this white man has been quite busy with this and that.

So at the end of a hectic week I believe an evocative reflection is in order...

"As a child my mother would always tell me not to sit so close to the TV, that it was bad for my eyes. Now, as an adult I spend 8+ hours a day within 2 feet of a computer screen."

Figure that out!

Swine Flu...

It seems that the latest potential global pandemic, the swine flu has already made it's way into Australia. Frightening news in some ways and also news that could easily have the potential to produce hysteria and community panic. It is reported that 88 Australians are currently suspected of swine flu.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=807347

Hopefully this flu strain will eventually come under control as other influenzas of recent times have. Chicken flu, avian bird flu, SARS etc... appear to have been reigned in - let's pray that the swine flu similarly passes with a minimum of damage.

Just A Game?

Any Australian football fan knows that when it comes to Anzac Day then that occasion is synonymous with one game of football - Collingwood versus Essendon. And that particular game certainly lived up to all expectations this year. Essendon, down by 15 points with around four minutes left of play, needed three goals to win. They managed to dig deep and got their three goals and scraped home to win by five points. Some said Essendon won that game while others lamented that Collingwood lost it. Someone else had another opinion...

After the game, Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse made this extraordinary comment about his team; "today we let the Anzacs down..."

Now this white man loves Australian football. I've watched it and loved it for as long as I can remember. Footy has been always with me, always been a part of me and will remain so for as long as I live. Even when I travelled the world I still listened to football broadcasts on my short-wave radio. An enduring memory I will carry forever was listening to the 1996 Grand Final whilst sitting on the roof of the Kathmandu Lodge Hotel in Kathmandu, Nepal. AFL is in this white man's blood for sure. But back to Malthouse...

For all of what the Anzac Day clash between traditional rivals, Collingwood and Essendon signifies, surely one thing has to be patently clear. In no way ever can a simple game of football even come close to comparing with the horrors of what our servicemen endured on the battlefronts and in the trenches of war. Two teams playing football are not opposing nations killing each other in the name of war. So with that in mind, where does Mick Malthouse get the idea that his football team "let down the Anzacs". Australian's died in war for the sake of our nation's freedom - they sacrificed themselves for an ideal - freedom from tyranny. The pure fact that close to 100 000 people have the freedom to meander down to the MCG on a lazy Saturday afternoon is testament to what Australia's Anzacs died for. Does Malthouse think that his football teams poor effort is a disgrace to the spirit of the Anzacs? Come on...you've got to be joking! If there were any Anzac diggers alive today I'm sure they wouldn't be saying that they would trade in with disgust their battle scars or war wounds because Collingwood lost a game of football by five points?! Honestly, would there even be a WW2 veteran willing to put their hand up and confess their contempt for a footy team and say with honest conviction that they felt let down and their war efforts all but vain? I mean I know that around Melbourne we often hear the catchcry regarding Australian football that "it's more than a game..." but is it really 'more'? 'More' enough to induce tears of dismay from khaki heroes and have Anzac legends turning in their graves?

Mick Malthouse would do well to just step outside of himself for a bit and gain some perspective on life. Football is a game...yes as much as I love it even I, as an Aussie-born Melbourne boy know that it is just a game. People shed blood on a football field for the sake of winning a game. True heroes, like our Anzacs died on battlefields for the sake of things far higher than a 120 minute sporting endeavour. Those two scenarios are absolutely incongruous and far beyond comparison. Lest we forget Mick, it's just a game...

Verse for the Day...

Lest We Forget...

The Hand of God?

Even before Jesus turned up in a Kit Kat bar our Heavenly Father was inadvertently snapped whilst making some positional re-adjustments to some stars recently. The "Hand of God" image, taken and released by NASA, has many Christian believers all over the world leaping around in delight. For some of them, it is the vindication of their faith - their validation that God is actually the real deal.

This white man believes that anything is possible for the Creator of the universe and beyond and if God saw fit to re-arrange some of His most beautiful handiwork then who am I to argue? But more importantly, I don't need to see some deep space photo that claims to be irrefutable evidence of Divine dexterity in the outer cosmos. When I look up at the stars most nights (when the weather permits), I already see the glory of God sparkling in the heavens. To see the Milky Way galaxy melting across southern skies and the constellation of Orion with it's literal super-stars Rigel and Betelguese is enough evidence for me that their Creator is simply wonderful. Faith is deeper than interpretive photos from the edge of our galaxy...As the writer of Hebrews best said "Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for."

Call this white man ancient but I also have to concur that my faith is far more focussed on what I do not see rather than what I see with my own eyes. Photographs are fleeting...faith is forever!

Jesus in a Kit Kat?

Thought I'd seen it all...until now...Have a break...have Jesus!

Outrageous!

This white man certainly appreciates that, when it comes to perspectives, diversity and difference is not such a bad thing - even a healthy thing. When people come from different angles of perspective often a more wholistic, multi-dimensional view of things can be seen and appreciated. I also am a fervent believer that this world is more often than not simply black or white in nature but is more a collage of varying shades of grey. But some things surely are beyond conjecture or debate aren't they?

This week, at a UN summit against the issue of racism, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad delivered a speech that created such a feeling of disgust from fellow international world leaders and delegates that 23 of them walked out during his anti-Jewish, Israel-hating oration. That's right - a speech of that tone given at an anti-racism conference! The link to the story is available below:

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=804376

Ahmaninejad has already stirred global outrage in the past for his support of the ridiculous belief that the WW2 Jewish Holocaust was a myth that didn't happen. And his hatred for the nation of Israel is well documented - he, himself is quite straight-forward when it comes to Israel - he'd wipe them off the face of this earth if given the chance. Strong invective from a 'leader' who is nothing more than a fanatical pariah to most other global nations and their leadership. Yet amongst his own people and other Islamic neighbours who support his hard-line views he is feted as a hero of high measure. 'An enlightened truth-teller' they say about him...And I guess from that certain point of view he is probably all that plus more.

Again, this white man respects the alternate views of many when it comes to the gamut of issues on the global stage. But the Iranian President? You've got to be kidding me! Any person, whether a world leader or 'Joe Blow' on the next street corner, who honestly believes that the systematic extermination of over 3 million Jews did not occur during the WW2 years is both naive and offensive. Much of history is open to interpretation but some basic facts remain undeniably fixed for all eternity. Auschwitz, Treblinka, Dachau were not figments of some horribly disturbed sadists imagination. They were real expressions of evil by a tyrannical dictatorship and 3 million very dead Jewish souls cannot lie. Any world leader who purports that the Holocaust was pure fiction does not deserve to have an audience to propogate such despicable views.

So this white man concurs with every world leader who turned their back and left the Iranian Presidents speech at the UN. That's what it deserved and Ahmaninejad should never be given the opportunity to insult the collective intellect of the United Nations and, by default, the whole world in any such forum ever again.

Canadian Sign...Vietnamese Sentiment...

"If it breathes, walks and is bigger than a grain of rice then it's food..." - a rough translation of a generally accepted Vietnamese philosophy... Obviously a Canadian ideology also!

Verse of the Day...

V For Vendetta...Daniel Truong's 21st!

"Voilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is a vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished. However, this valorous visitation of a bygone vexation stands vivified, and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin vanguarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition. The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous. Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose, so let me simply add that it's my very good honor to meet you and you may call me V."

The things I still get up to...

Immigration Problem?

This white man was bemused today to learn of a new wave of anti-illegal immigrant hysteria sweeping the nation in relation to some new boatloads of Afghani asylum-seekers detained off the northern coastline of Australia. Tragically one boat exploded and resulted in three deaths. Even more tragic is the oversight of this fact in lieu of an unbalanced emphasis on stopping future boatloads of illegal immigrants attempting to 'infiltrate' our great south land.

Statistically speaking, it IS a fact that Australia's 'problem' with illegal immigrants absolutely pales in comparison to other developed countries and their legitimate problems with this issue. I have heard anecdotally that there are roughly 11 million illegal Mexicans in the US. That's just Mexicans! And that's over half of Australia's entire population! In European countries such as the UK, Spain and France, illegal African migrants are flooding in en masse.

So let's not get too carried away with some so-called 'invasion' of illegal immigrants in Australia. Comparitively, our nation remains relatively unscathed when it comes to this world-wide issue. It almost makes this white man question what the true nature of the problem really is - is it illegal immigrants coming to our shores or is it the shady vestiges of our own narrow-mindedness when it comes to people different to ourselves? I'm not out-and-out calling it racism but my sense is that there is some xenophobia in there. I thought right-wing Hansonism was done with - is a return to "fortress Australia" on the cards again? Mmmm...what really is the true problem?

Open Spaces...

Verdant slopes where crisp air chills

Open spaces, rolling hills

Earthworm squirms in dew drenched sod

Bird song singing praise to God

Peaceful morning, Gippsland sighs

Pond face buzzing, dragonflies

Gum trees sway, eternal spring

God-breathed life in everything

Time stands still then shifts again

Shadows grow across the glen

Must leave now, the road awaits

God's garden stays, beyond the gates

Until I sleep, in dreams return

To open spaces, again I learn

That life is sacred, rich and moist

On green hills heavens glory voiced...

Peaceful Korumburra!

This white man is spending some cathartic days down in Korumburra with family and friends. In recent times Korumburra has been the epicentre of two earth tremors that have shaken Melbourne and country Victoria. Thankfully things have been serene during our short holiday here!

He Lives!

Darkness Covered The Land...

Just Thank You...

Thank You God! You Didn't Let The Cup Pass!

"Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."

Adversity...

A Dozen Wonderful Years!

Today this white man has joyfully celebrated 12 years of marriage! Back on April 6, 1997 in

Hoi An, Vietnam I married my beautiful angel Phuong and I can honestly say I've never regretted one single moment of our marriage together in the 12 years since. God has gifted us with two precious sons, Kim and Luc and we are just blessed when we consider how much His grace and provision sustains us day-by-day. Life is good!

Verse of the Day...

Funny...

This white man has seen some interesting churches with interesting names but this one takes the cake!

I'd hate to see their vision and purpose statement - would probably be quicker just to read the entire Bible!

When Life Looks Ugly Through the Lens of a Bottle...

The other night this white man had a rare opportunity to hear from two sides of a recent nasty incident that involved current swimmer Nick D'Arcy and retired swimmer Simon Cowley. At 6:30PM on Channel Nine's "A Current Affair" Cowley gave his side of the nightclub incident that kleft him with bad facial and jaw fractures. Then later, at 8PM on ABC's "Australian Story" D'Arcy gave his insights on the assault. Incidently, D'Arcy was charged with causing grievous bodily harm and was recently found guilty and convicted for the assault on Cowley. In any case, it was a rare television quirk of syncronicity to have both sides present their case on national television on the same night.

After watching both men outline their views upon reflecting back on that fateful evening of celebrations that got out of hand, it seemed obvious that all were affected adversely in some way or another. Obviously, Cowley, being the victim of the assault by D'Arcy, has suffered greatly as a result of the attack. Physically and psychologically Cowley is still recovering from the attack on him. D'Arcy has also suffered for his momentary alcohol-fueled mind-snap on Cowley. He missed selection for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and now has a criminal record to live with, not to mention the indignity of having to carry the label "drunken lout" with him most likely for the rest of his public life.

And so this white man is reminded again of the devastating effect alcohol can have when misused. Young men, rational and sane in their normal selves suddenly turn feral once intoxicated. Peaceful, law-abiding citizens turning rabid with one-too-many drinks inside of them. I guess it says to me that perhaps something new needs to be done to re-educate today's youth of the dangers of excessive alcohol intake and particularly binge-drinking. They are just not getting it and they continue to be a menace to the community and even more, to themselves. Maybe the Salvos really have got it right all along in their zero tolerance abstinence stance on the 'demon drink'. When will the youth of today, and the other adult drinkers who should know better, learn?

Chicken Pox!

As I just indicated on that other social networking tool Facebook, this white man is now resigned to the fact that now his eldest son Kim has indeed caught chicken pox. My other son Luc is still recovering from his bout with the itchy little cursed spots and now his older brother has it all to look forward to! Given that, as a child, I never contracted this common childhood ailment then it also leaves me feeling slightly uneasy with the current situation. Fortunately, I had a vaccination a while back and my hope is that the vaccine does what it is supposed to do. Thus far the vaccine appears to have me protected but who knows what tomorrow will hold?! Can't say that the thought of contracting chicken pox is enthralling at all but, after all, worse things happen to people that a few lousy itchy spots on your skin for a couple of weeks.

I think the only person really feeling pretty smug about the whole chicken pox thing in our house is Luc. He had to endure it whilst it appeared that his brother had escaped the virus and Kim wasn't shy in letting Luc know that he was just about as unclean as a biblical leper! Now Luc has the opportunity to rub it back in his brother's face...and he will! Aahhh isn't life wonderful!

An Interesting Take on Baptism...

After a torrential rainstorm filled all the potholes in the streets and alleys, a young mother watched her two little boys playing in the puddles through her kitchen window.

The older of the two, a five year old lad, grabbed his brother by the back of his head and shoved his face into the water hole. As the boy recovered and stood laughing and dripping, the mother runs to the yard in a panic.

'Why on earth did you do that to your little brother?!' she asks as she shook the older boy in anger.

'We were just playing 'church' mummy,' he said. 'And I was just baptizing him ... ... in the name of the Father, the Son and in ... the hole-he-goes!'

Verse for the Day...

Saturn's Rings

Tonight this white man went out with friends and did some really amazing star gazing. Got to see clear views of the Milky Way, Saturn's Rings, the two Magellenic cloud formations and all the main signature constellations. Beautiful clear skies, great location, amazing display! The heavens truly are an ever-present advertisement, a billboard if you like, of God's amazing creativity!

That's Life!

Yesterday this white man commented on the return to AFL football of Ben Cousins. The dream was alive, the fairytale come-back, the script was was there to be written. Then reality raised it's voice on the matter...Last night Richmond got thrashed by Carlton and Cousins himself, tore his hamstring and will probably miss the next 4-6 weeks of action. As they say, that's life!

All too often when fairytales promise to materialise into reality, they just as quickly disappear into the ether of dreams. Who knows what will happen now with Cousins and his re-born football career? Perhaps he'll recover from this latest setback and the jungle drums will again start to beat out another comeback rhythm. Maybe he'll decide that it just isn't worth all the effort and bow out for good? Who knows? Life is remarkable in how it randomly shifts people on courses that no-one could possibly expect. Reminds this white man of that timeless quote from Forrest Gump that goes something like "life is like a box of chocolates...you just never know what you're going to get".

Well last night Carlton took home the chocolates and Cousins took home a good dose of reality!

It All Begins Again...

It has finally arrived...that moment every year when Melbourne seems to lift in intensity and shift into a higher gear. AFL football begins again for 2009 tonight as Carlton face-off against traditional rival Richmond. And again, outside of the field of contest there is a greater story of significance, for this game heralds the return of Ben Cousins. Cousins, the formerly disgraced West Coast Eagles champion who has battled his own personal substance abuse issues makes his long-awaited return to the sport that defined him. All eyes will be upon Ben Cousins tonight - eyes of scepticism, eyes of admiration, eyes of judgment and eyes of hope. This white man hopes that, far beyond the result of this one game, that the ultimate outcome will be positive for Cousins in the long-run of his life. Giving a bloke a second-chance is supposedly an Aussie credo that we are all encouraged to embrace - let's hope football watchers do just that and enjoy the fact that Ben Cousins is in a better place in life and we all hope he stays there!

By the way, tomorrow night my beloved Hawthorn Hawks begin their 2009 season with a Grand Final rematch with the Cats. The majority of pundits have already scripted another Geelong domination this year but as Hawthorn proved in last year's final, anyone can win on the day! "Carn the Hawks!"

Funny Photo...

The Judge Judged...

This white man has followed with interest the case of retired Federal Court judge Marcus Einfeld and his legal proceedings as a result of trying to avoid a $77.00 speeding fine. He lied to the courts in his attempt to wrangle his way out of the fine and ended up with a perjury charge. The end result - a two year custodial prison sentence and the ignomy of being the first Australian judge, retired or serving, to be sentenced to a jail term. In effect, the judge got judged!

Honestly, I find this case of the 69 year-old former judge extremely sad. I find it sad that someone who practiced, interpreted and deliberated law as his day-to-day livelihood would honestly believe that he was above the same law he served. And all for the sake of $77.00! With the retirement package Einfeld is on he could have paid that fine with the spare change floating around in his pocket. That's another point of incredulous sadness in this story - why would he bother to dodge it? Why couldn't he just face the consequences of his actions like most of the rest of society does when they receive traffic infringements? It seems that he really did think he could just manouvere around the law as he wished, even by doing so illegally through what started as a small lie that just grew to inane proportions.

And this white man heard today of a plea by the judge to be treated with clemency accompanied by an apology for what he had done. My suspicion is that the judge perhaps isn't so much sorry in his heart for what he did but perhaps just sorry that he got caught for it! What an irony...the law-giver seeking grace. And at the risk of appearing contradictory and maybe even hypocritical as I, myself am a great advocator of increased grace in a dis-graceful world, I say that Marcus Einfeld should serve every nanosecond of his sentence in jail! I say that because, from a faith view-point I, as a pastor, take on board with the full knowledge and responsibility that I will be judged in my actions at heaven's judgment seat more stringently in matters of faith because I serve as a practitioner of faith. He too, as a long-serving practitioner of law should receive the harshest measure of the law and it be implemented to its full extent.

Therefore may Marcus Einfeld's sorry situation serve as a reminder to everyone that no-one is above the laws of the land. More importantly, may his example cause us all to reflect personally on our own integrity. May we all be honest and sincere in critically appraising the decisions we make and how upright are in how we conduct ourselves in our lives.

Verse for the Day...

Say Cheese...and Get Wet!

Why? This white man does not know?!

A Great Friday Funny!

The elderly priest, speaking to the younger priest, said, 'You had a good idea to replace the first four pews with plush bucket theater seats. It worked like a charm. The front of the church always fills first now.

'The young priest nodded, and the old priest continued,

'And you told me adding a little more beat to the music would bring young people back to church, so I supported you when you brought inthat rock 'n roll gospel choir. Now our services are consistently packed to the balcony.

''Thank you, Father,' answered the young priest. 'I am pleased that you are open to the new ideas of youth.'

'All of these ideas have been well and good,' said the elderly priest, 'But I'm afraid you've gone too far with the drive-thru confessional.'

'But Father,' protested the young priest, 'my confessions and the donations have nearly doubled since I began that!''

Yes,' replied the elderly priest, 'and I appreciate that.... But the sign outside, 'Toot 'n Tell or Go to Hell' cannot stay!

The Times Are Getting Bad...

Is Anything Sacred Anymore?

Along with other like-minded members of the community, this white man was also depressed to learn that the TAB have decided to open their betting agencies on Good Friday. I mean their decision to do this isn't a surprise in many ways - why should the TAB feel compelled to honour a sacred day that in effect is meaningless to their gaming/business interests? Christians today have to face the fact that our society is growing more secular and days like Good Friday and Christmas Day will eventually succumb to the commercial interests of businesses, traders and gaming agencies. I'm realistic to know this and it'll happen whether I like it or not. By the way, that's not a defeatist attitude, just a biblical belief based on 2 Timothy 3:2. If God's Word points out that this world will head down a totally secular pathway then who am I to argue - even more so when I see it happening before my own eyes in my own society.

I guess my only gripe to the TAB and other commercially motivated businesses who are sure to jump on this Good Friday liberal bandwagon is this...is it just even a little bit possible that the time-honoured cultural and spiritual foundations of our nation could be acknowledged once in a while? It's not like Australians are forced to slavishly bow their collective knees on every single occasion of Christian significance during the year. Good Friday and Christmas Day are only two days out of 365. It isn't too much to hold onto some traditional values in our community and respect them accordingly is it? The least the TAB should do, as other commentators have rightfully suggested, is donate a healthy percentage of their gaming intake on Good Friday to the Royal Childrens Hospital as a gesture of generosity. Maybe, at least then, the community might feel that something positive can come from the rubble of our society's eroding values and traditions.

Please Explain...

This white man doesn't care about apparent raunchy photos of Pauline Hanson that have emerged so conveniently after 30 years of collecting dust. I only wish that the rest of the majority of Australians didn't care so they would not waste their hard-earned money on gutter-trash newspapers that scream sensationalist headlines. My gripe isn't necessarily against Pauline either - if the photos that purport to be her really ARE her then so what. She deserves as little air time as possible and all this latest controversy is just another grubby chapter in the life of the most infamous fish and chip shop owner in contemporary Australian history. All I would say is this...

For the plummeting moral and editorial standards of the Australian media who now find it necessary to report increasingly more salacious and inane stories designed only to titilate the intellectually brain-dead in Australian society, this white man simply asks...PLEASE EXPLAIN?!

Verse of the Day

THAT Ad!

This white man knows that a key component in a succesful advertisement, especially on television or radio is the annoyance factor. Radio-wise, if there is a more excruciatingly annoying ad than the helium-infused squeaky voiced clown singing "the blind factory, the blind factory etc..." then I haven't heard it. But TV-wise, the ad that is absolutely driving me up the proverbial wall presently is the new Medownick commercial for laser eye treatment. It's the ad with the 'dancing eyes' lady who shifts her eyes around whilst shrugging her shoulders to some cheesy pop song. I don't know if it's the woman's smug smile that annoys me the most, or perhaps the music or probably a combination of all of it. But it's a nerve-grater for sure and this white man is not alone in his disdain for this ad.

Already Facebook has an established group of devoted haters of this particular commercial with their own forum of spite vengefully poured out with total wrath upon the 'dancing eyes lady'. Of course there's a lot of nonsense and over-the-top commentary towards the ad but one forum member made a very good point - how will the 'dancing eyes lady' ever walk down a public street again without being heckled and imitated? Talk about a cross to bear. Ironically, she'll probably have to wear sunglasses everywhere she goes just to prevent being constantly recognised and mocked!

And of course the delicious irony for the advertising executives and probably for Medownick themselves is that whilst everybody is absolutely hating their contribution to commercial television, they are reaping the benefits of their irritating offering. An annoying ad often makes for an effective ad. It's enough to make you raise your eyebrows and maybe even do an eye dance?! By the way...how does one's eyes actually dance? What a nonsense...