The Kardia Remark
“Awake, O north wind, And come, O south!”Twisted manners
I had a weird day today – people seemed to be saying all the wrong things when they showed manners to each other.
For example, one guy left the door open for me as I was walking out and he muttered, “Sorry.”
Then I made the same mistake, except the opposite pretty much. I stepped through a door, cutting off someone else ont their way through, and I said ,”Thanks.”
Maybe I’m just too observant of etiquette.
But on another note, it’s my birthday tomorrow! And we’re having nice home-made pumpkin soup tonight! 
The Forgotten Weapon
There is a weapon the Enemy uses against us day after day, often without us even noticing – a power many of us may have once known he had and been able to guard against, but which many have forgotten or dismissed.
It is a weapon he fires against all, a weapon every person must confront whether they acknowledge it was the Enemy who used it or not. The weapon was passed into his possession some time ago, when man & woman fell from their perfection into darkness.
The weapon is us – our essence, our core, and as I like to describe it, our heart.
Some would not call it a weapon, as it implies the Enemy created it. But let me say transparently that I use the term ‘weapon’ to mean an instrument that can and has been used for harm or control over us, and that has not at all been created by the Enemy – merely used by him.
Let me explain how it is used: at some points in any person’s life, tragedies occur, no matter how great or small they appear. Scars are inflicted upon us, having mass implications for the rest of our lives. I’m not meaning anything necessarily physical (though in some cases physical harm is involved), but a scar against our core.
I’ll give an example:
8-year-old Billy heads home from school one Autumn day, excited about the after-school piano lessons his teacher talked said would be starting soon. He’d seen his older sisters play piano at home, and had always wanted to be able to play as well as them.
He runs in the door, flings his school bag off, and runs to the backyard shed, where he finds his dad. ”Dad, guess what?” He shouts excitedly. “Mrs. Taylor’s teaching piano lessons! Can I go, Dad? Please?” He looks up at his Dad, his little heart beating excitedly.
And Dad looks down with a humiliated expression on his face, and says, “Piano lessons? Why would you want to do something as faggy as that?”
Billy grew up to be a football player, never to touch a piano or express his passion ever again.
This is just an example, and I’m certainly not trying to make any generalizations here. We all experience these sorts of scars in different ways and at different stages of life. Some people are merely scratched by the Enemy in their youth, and are truly scarred in their adult life (I use the word ‘merely’ loosely – all attacks by Satan are tragic).
But God wants to redeem our core, our hearts. He fights the Enemy on a day by day basis, and as much as the Enemy might want to make us think otherwise, God wants to fight for us… and with us.
But more on that later.
My focus here is that we’ve forgotten the Enemy meddles with hearts. We’ve forgotten that the Enemy not only works against us on a daily basis within us and outside us, but that he inflicts damage that can impede us for a lifetime.
And not just our passions or our occupational future. People are gagged, abused, and broken. They are, metaphorically, kicked around, beaten, stabbed, burnt, tortured and imprisoned.
But there is still hope.
I use the word 'heart' to mean our core.
The Hundred-and-Eight Year Shame
Today, I’m mourning the failure of a tradition older than myself to transmit onto it’s children – a tradition that surely would have brought many constructive advantages to this land, as well as satisfying less essential needs.
One-hundred-and-eight years, four months and three days ago, a tradition that should have been an heirloom from a mother to its child was not passed on. I’m speaking of the rowdy, good-humoured British parliamentary manners that the Commonwealth of Australia’s Houses of Parliament never inherited.
In my politically-biased view, key demonstrators of this legislative semi-casualness are the former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and current Leader of the Opposition, David Cameron. Take a look at this debate from June last year, concerning a possible second vote for the Republic of Ireland on the EU Treaty of Lisbon after they initially voted “no”:
Or Margaret Thatcher’s statement in October 1990 to the House of Commons regarding the European Council meeting at Rome:
And this is probably the closest Australia gets:
I mean, how much more would kids be interested in Parliament if it had more humour?
Maybe I’m just a supernerd… 
The British House of Commons, equivalent to the Australian House of Representatives
Bagels
I sat down to enjoy some toasted buttered bagels today, and then remembered a wise saying instructed to me by an old friend…
Benny the Bull is one of Dora the Explorer's companions in the children's television series
“It’s round like a giant donut!”
- Benny the Bull, Dora the Explorer: The Pirate Play
Ok, so not so wise, not so old, and not so much my friend (I’ve practically memorized The Pirate Play from all the times my little sister’s watched it – it’ll drive you insane if you watch too much!). Benny wasn’t even talking about bagels in this instance, but that’s beside the point!
The point is… well, there isn’t a point really. Hang on, I’ll make one up.
Ahah! The point is that so often we associate appearances with character – style with substance. We identify objects and people by what they look like. For example:
- “That guy with the mohawk.”
- “That little red book.”
- “That round thing like a giant donut.”
Yet we know that a person is more than their looks. As much as we might recognize a person by certain physical features of them, we still see them as more than that - or should, at least. We should continue to work toward identifying a person by their heart (meaning their ‘core’), not by their face value, no pun intended.
Well, that was a more meaningful message than I originally intended!
A bagel
Debating about debating heats up
Good to see some debate actually happening about this ‘quasi-religion’, as Barnaby Joyce calls it. It’s time we cleared up the facts on the global environment:
http://www.abc.net.au/tv/qanda/txt/s2551185.htm (it’s at about 41:15, if you don’t have time to watch the whole thing – make sure you catch Senator Joyce’s comments)
I find it interesting that the GW-believers involved in this debate seem to melt away from arguing with facts as soon as Mr. Joyce voices opposition. In fact, we hear the Greens Senator jumping straight to how Australia should fight the alleged crisis without actually establishing it exists.
Also, it’s even more interesting that Mr. Garrett, the Environment Minister, shys away from standing up for the ‘little guys’ as his party purports to do, instead omming on about this unconfirmed and dictatorial set of supposed facts.
The way Hanson-Young goes on about the ‘new’ way rings alarm bells for me – I have a suspicion this mythical problem may lead to less sovereignty for many nations in favour of a united response. In other words, a new world order.
Greens, ALP, Nationals
Unenthusiasm on legs
There was a cross-country event I went to today. At least, that’s what we call it – other names are ‘fun run’ and ’foot race’ if you don’t get what I’m talking about.
Most people know the drill – you’re dragged off from school by a bus, dropped off at some circuit-shaped and utterly public place, divided into your ‘house colours’ that only a fraction of the students have bothered to adhere to in their clothing choice, and given a little tag thing that’s used to mark what rank you got at the end.
The school have taken the embarrassing energy to show off the ’house flags’ around the main area, along with providing fluorescent-yellow jackets just in case we can’t distinguish between our school teachers and complete strangers. How uninformed we’d be of the points no one cares about if we didn’t have that handy megaphone to overemphasize them!
And then there’s the actual run – or, more accurately, walk. The only runners seem to be those already physically fit, and make up a small proportion of the participants. The rest of us sort of stroll along and talk, paying no heed to the actual race that the event is. Some people even manage to get out of doing anything, bringing a (often faked) note from home.
And finally, there’s the long wait in the usually freezing weather until the teachers decide its time to finally head back to school.
I know – I’m very cynical and exaggerative about all this. But I don’t want to leave this as purely a derogatory rant. There is a point here.
School cross countries don’t work. At least, compulsorily run cross countries don’t. Not for the purpose they serve – to encourage healthiness in young students. In fact, I’d argue they could have a negative effect. Some students who lag behind, who try their hardest but just can’t win, could become increasingly depressed by their lack of success. Similarly, students may believe a run a year makes them healthy.
It also may teach some students that their school only cares about their health once or twice a year. Students are encouraged to run, yet in a few days time, teachers don’t so much as ask about students’ health. I know there are certain limitations to what a teacher is allowed to ask a student about, but if the student knows they have the right to refuse to answer, surely this isn’t such a bad thing?
Another point is that not all students enjoy running. The compulsory participation of students indirectly tells tennis-players, swimmers, gymnasts, cheerleaders, and other sportspeople that regardless of their passions, they must enjoy running. It takes no account for the individuality God has crafted us with (not even in secular language), and is yet another example of the cookie-cutter education system of the West.
So my point is that the sensationalism and competition schools try to throw into school sporting doesn’t make up for the lack of consideration of human uniqueness, the inconsistency of ‘one-or-two-day’ health programs, and other holes in its programs. Western governments need to search for a better school sports initiative rather than forcing students to participate in an annual run.
Please don’t interpret me as saying running is bad or unenjoyable to all. Running can be a good form of physical exercise and is an enjoyable sport to some. However, I am speaking out against generalizing a passion over the entire student cohort.
Cross country running is a sport in which runners compete to complete a course over open or rough terrain.
Swine flu
This current health threat situation shows not only that the world has not yet vanquished contagious and curable diseases, but also shows the comparative preparedness of the developed and developing world in dealing with such a danger.
Swine influenza is contracted by humans from already-infected pigs, then travels from human to human
Most people will have heard about the recent outbreak through media outlets by now, so I won’t go much into detail (see http://news.bbc.co.uk/ if you haven’t).
But what I found interesting is that in Mexico, at least 26 people (some estimates suggest hundreds more) have died from the disease in half a month, with 172 more confirmed cases. Meanwhile, across the border where there are about 3 times more people, 70 cases have been confirmed and no one has yet died from the disease.
Perhaps this is more because of the timing of the disease’s spread to the United States, or the lower population density in the States, but I just thought it’s an interesting comparison.
Some people have picked up on the overreaction to the pandemic. 36,000 deaths are caused by human influenza every year in the United States alone, dwarfing the Mexican death toll from the current outbreak. I’m not saying the current swine flu death toll isn’t tragic, but it’s certainly not as comparatively a big health hazard as many believe.
A negative stain electromagnetic image of swine influenza
Electro-terrorism
I found this scary theory. For those not knowing, an electro-magnetic pulse (EMP) is an electrical phenomenon basically causing the disabling of all electrical devices in a certain radius and major electrical surges.
If an electro-terrorist got hold of an EMP emitter...
Obviously, terrorists would have to get past US air force defences, let alone build an EMP emitter and have it at the right altitude to create the most damage, so I’d say the chances of this are slim. Still…
Somewhere over the rainbow
How often do we disregard the biblical meaning of a rainbow for the ones science and society give us? I saw one today, so it got me thinking…
21 And the LORD smelled a soothing aroma. Then the LORD said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done.
…
8 Then God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying: 9 “And as for Me, behold, I establish My covenant with you and with your descendants[b] after you, 10 and with every living creature that is with you: the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you, of all that go out of the ark, every beast of the earth. 11 Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.”
12 And God said: “This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: 13 I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. 14 It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud; 15 and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16 The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” 17 And God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth.”- Genesis 8:21; Genesis 9:8-17 | NKJV
Several things here:
First of all, note that God chose not to ‘curse the ground for man’s sake’ even though the imagination of his heart is evil from youth.
Second, he establishes a covenant with every living creature that he will never destroy all life or the earth using a flood. Interesting, seeing as fire seems to be associated with the biblical ‘Judgement Day’ – it appears God will fulfill his agreement.
Third, he establishes a covenant with every living creature. It may seem bizarre for an omnipotent God to promise never to repeat a certain action again, but that’s the trick with our God:
He didn’t create us to play dollyhouse or ‘The Sims’. He chose to give us free will, not only so that we may choose whether or not to follow him, but also to deliberately remove from himself some control over his creation. Certainly, he continued to intervene in his own judgement, but some of his power and authority was given to us by his divine will.
He didn’t sit back and say, “Humans will fall to sin, and everything’s gonna go crap, but it’ll be worth it in the end.” I’ve heard one person make that argument, and it doesn’t make sense. Does God create something evil, or knowing it will become evil? I don’t believe so.
Certainly, he has the ability to see all. But surely he didn’t create Adam & Eve knowing they would sin and the imagination of their heart would become evil? He chose not to know, and by so doing took a risk.
I want to address this topic a bit later, so I’ll cut myself off here. Comments or questions, anyone?
Rainbow
A good blindside
(WARNING: Survivor: Tocantins spoilers ahead for Episode 9: “It’s Funny When People Cry”)
I’m a Survivor fan – I’ve seen every season from about Pearl Islands onwards, but I also watched the odd episode of preceding ones (except for Marquesas, that never aired in Australia). I’ll admit now, though, that there’ve been few seasons where someone has been blindsided to their benefit.
In the most recent episode of Survivor: Tocantins, it was clear that the unlikely had occurred (spoilers below!).
Tyson & Sierra competing in the Reward Challenge
After Brendon’s surprise elimination, it was clear Sierra was on the outs of the tribe. Though she was clearly on the chopping block, she didn’t roll over and die – she tried her hardest to negotiate some security for herself. Unfortunately, talking didn’t work, and she knew immunity was her last chance at assurance of protection.
At the immunity challenge, which involved sliding pucks along a board, several of the stronger competitors opted out to enjoy pizza. Tyson, the winner of previous immunity challenges, was bitter about this, as he felt he should have been given a break for all his work for his fellow members of the Warrior Alliance.
Nevertheless, though Sierra came extremely close to winning immunity, Debbie ended up snatching it back. Sierra thought she was most certainly gone.
How wrong she was.
The former-Jalapao members decided it was a perfect time to blindside Tyson, a major physical threat in the challenges and a key ally of Coach, head of the Warrior Alliance. Everyone was expecting Sierra to go, even Sierra herself. Only J.T. remained an undecided vote.
Tribal Council played out beautifully. Tyson picked on Sierra as he had throughout the past episode, and Sierra reacted as a victim. It was like a pre-rehearsed drama, especially the confirmation Sierra brought to her perceived imminent elimination.
However, much to Sierra’s amazement and Tyson’s disappointment, the tide had turned. Tyson was voted off as the 9th eliminated contestant and 2nd member of the Jury.
I can’t wait to see Coach and Debbie now beg Sierra for her allegiance.
