Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Unless we look at a person and see the beauty therein, we can contribute nothing to him. One does not help a person by discerning what is wrong, what is ugly, what is distorted. Christ looked at everyone He met, at the prostitute, at the thief, and saw the beauty hidden there. Perhaps it was distorted, perhaps damaged, but there was beauty nonetheless, and what He did was to CALL OUT THIS BEAUTY. Metropolitan Anthony Bloom of Sourozh (via josephsheild)
Thursday, October 6, 2011
There are two ways to get enough: one is to continue to accumulate more and more. The other is to desire less. G. K. Chesterton (via teaim)
Saturday, April 30, 2011
How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world. Anne Frank (via excessivebookshelf)
Wednesday, April 20, 2011

jonheslop:

Super awesome video from Charity: Water. Really well done too.

Saturday, April 9, 2011

amatthews:

love this. love the creativity. love the message. 

geography doesn’t make you a missionary,
the mission you are on makes you a missionary

Wednesday, November 10, 2010 Friday, September 3, 2010 Monday, August 2, 2010

counting down?

So, it’s just 5 months ‘till 2011 starts. A scary thought really. Made me think about what I’ve done with this year so far. Have I achieved anything? Anything of significance? How do I make the next five months count? Am I thinking too much?

Incidentally, today, on daytime television (it’s true what they say, there really isn’t anything on, I checked…) I came across the first Christmas related commercial of the year. A record, to my (probably not so extensive as I’d like to think) knowledge. A sad record at that. (Just in case you’d like to know, I like Christmas to be Christmas, and would prefer it to remain well within it’s designated season. You know, the joy of anticipation starting towards the end of November, really kicking off Scandinavian-style on December first. But that may be entirely beside the point.)  

Thursday, July 29, 2010

logical faith

So. Ever thought that common sense would rank second in sound decision making processes? That is, rational, practical common sense.

Rationally, practically speaking, I’d say that most of the time these attributes are invaluable when deciing on something of slightly greater importance than which socks to wear that day or what novel to read next.

But then again, gut feeling was lost in that equation, as was faith. Two different things, perhaps, but is one not a symptom of another sometimes?

I made a decision earlier this week.. more on that some other time… What I will say at this point, however, is that it was one of those that defies all logic, but feels so so right. Not that I’m not the teeniest bit scared, you know, just in case my rock solid faith turns out to be unfounded… or lands me in serious trouble. But sometimes you’ve just got to take that leap of faith, especialy when all else just doesn’t seem to fit…

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

one liners

Last week I was asked whether I had ever considered doing stand-up comedy. Apparently I produce the odd amusing one liner every now and again.

I can’t honestly say that I’ve ever considered any career moves in this direction. Frankly, the phrase ‘stand-up comedy’ makes me want to sit on a chair and have a rest! So. Most probably a ‘no go’ I’m thinking.

Besides, I’m a bit of a scatter brain at times, and have trouble remembering verbatim quotes, the lead up to punch lines, and the like. I did hear a particularly good one recently though, that I’ll share with you as it stands out quite clearly in my mind at the moment.

On Saturday morning I joined my Catholic friend, Alice, for Adoration and Mass at her church, which was a great and new experience for me. The half hour of Adoration especially touched me. Not that I felt anything in particular, like God’s presence, which I was half expecting, but in the silence of the church, only the sound of cars rushing by on the ring road outside to distract me, I kept hearing “be still, and know that I am God”. It even came to me in the first line of a song that seemed to be looped in my head. Over, and over, and over, and over again.

So. Perhaps it’s not the most amusing one liner ever, if speaking in terms of laughter provoking material. But it instilled in me a sense of much needed peace that I carry with me even now. I’d say it’s probably as profound as they come.