Friday, June 15, 2007

What's your theological worldview?

No surprises here... Taken from my brother's community site... A bit of fun, but I don't need a quiz to tell me what I believe!

You scored as Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan, You are an evangelical in the Wesleyan tradition. You believe that God's grace enables you to choose to believe in him, even though you yourself are totally depraved. The gift of the Holy Spirit gives you assurance of your salvation, and he also enables you to live the life of obedience to which God has called us. You are influenced heavly by John Wesley and the Methodists.

Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan

79%

Neo orthodox

64%

Emergent/Postmodern

64%

Reformed Evangelical

50%

Roman Catholic

43%

Charismatic/Pentecostal

43%

Fundamentalist

39%

Modern Liberal

32%

Classical Liberal

29%

What's your theological worldview?
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Flickr Privacy changes

Annoying and disappointing, but what Dad wouldn't protect his kids?
Due to some niggling concerns I had, and confirmations from a friend, I've chosen to make most of the photo's on our Flickr site only accessible to contacts we consider "family", or "friends". (You can become one these. Read below).

Click the post title to find out why...It pains me to realise that some people do use sites such as these for selfish, perverse means. Sometimes public photos of children can fall into the wrong hands, and no parent wants them to be the photos of thier kids.

I would be more concerned if some photos had more hits than others, or random comments from people I don't know. But so far the number of hits have been small, and the comments from people we know. So, so far, I'm not too concerned. But you never know, and you can't track everything, and I just want to protect my kids.

If you want to view the photos you can contact me here, or at flickr. You'll need to sign up for a flickr account, which only requires an email address. We will "friend" people we know, and those kind enough to introduce themselves. I don't actually forsee this being a problem, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.

Yes, they're beautiful kids. I know that. And yes, I'm biased. I'm their Papa, and love them more than they know.

Thursday, June 07, 2007

On Depression

It hits without warning, its stay is undetermined, and living without it can be as much a battle as living with it. (Sorry, this a bit messy in its writing. I hoped to do more, but have really just run out of time.)

First it was a prominent polititions, former WA Premier Geoff Gallop and NSW State Opposition Premier John Brogden. Then high profile sportsmen Wayne Schwass, and Olympic medallist John Konrads, and well renowed actor Garry McDonald. Now the latest celebrity to talk about his battle with depression is the Blue Wiggle, Anthony Field.

Click the post title to continue reading...Like many others, I too am susceptible to depression. I'm certainly not prominent, high profile, or well renowened, but depression can, and does strike anyone. Its not just for those in the limelight, or with too much pressure, or a modicum of "success".

Firstly, thanks Geoff, John, Garry, Wayne and John, and now Anthony. Hopefully others will also be encouraged to talk about and find strategies for managing their depression. However, I also think with such a lot of celebreties virtually revelling in coming out about their battle, the little guys can be lost.


Sometime ago, Australia set up BeyondBlue, to deal exclusively with depression, and particularly male depression. Interestingly, this week marks the start of their Men's Health Week, and the link between alcolhol and depression.

So, let me repeat it. Anybody can struggle with depression. My father struggles. A friend of mine suffered from postnatal depression, after his wife learnt how to live with it too. In fact, I would habour a bet that most people, at somepoint, have learn to how to manage it.

I've had bouts of depression since a teenager. Previously it's been downplayed, dismissed and avoided. By me, as much as anybody I've talked to, which is disappointing and frustrating. One of the most anonying was from a medical professional who indicated that it wasn't depression at all, but simply exam anxiety. Following reading that report was one of the lowest times I can remember.

In the article above Anthony says, "You can feel very lonely even when you're surrounded by wonderful people." How very true. I wonder, however, if this (and other symptoms of depression), are simply not just the logical outcome of our society. In my experience, we are certianly becoming more isolationist. That is, we choose to isolate ourselves, and call it normal. Yes, we even have communities on line, but there is nothing like actually sitting down and talking to somebody, or just being with them. I don't believe you really get to know somebody without spending time with them. Its an old line, I know. But I just don't buy the "I can get along without real contact with people" alternative.

So, and you might have seen this coming, but the same is also true of my relationship with God. Without really spending time with him, or his Son, our relationship whithers. Without talking to God, listening for his voice, reading his letters to me, or remembering his instruction and work in my history; without just sitting in his presence, our relationship distorts to a mock imagery, a mere pale of a real partnership, which, ironically, I accept as normal!

And this is the point about depression: its all about finding things that matter. If nothing matters, nothing is important, I am not important, there is nothing to live for. But even the writer of Eccellisastes came to the conclusion that the only thing that matters is loving and following God. He is the ultimate reason, and really, there is no other.