Articles, thoughts, essays, and content from Brian as well as students – our budding theologians.
When your inner critic works for you…
It’s a generalisation to be sure, but roughly speaking you can divide people into two categories – those whose inner critic is frantically busy, leaving them demotivated, insecure and perpetually dissatisfied, and those who don’t appear to have an inner critic – or if they do, have one who is unobservant and perpetually on holiday, leaving them blissfully unaware of their many flaws or of things they could do far better. It has become popular to be negative about our inner critic, and indeed, if you have a voice in...
read moreThermometer or Thermostat? Dancing between the Two
Are you more commonly a thermometer or a thermostat? Put differently, are you more likely to reflect the temperature in the room, or set it? It’s a question I find challenging, and wonder if you will join me as I think aloud about it. One of the markers of likely success is the trait of agreeableness. It’s one of the big five personality markers in the OCEAN acronym: Openness to experience which is usually accompanied by curiosity, creativity and willingness to give things a go Conscientiousness shown in self discipline and goal...
read moreWhen Every Life Matters: A Reminder from the Homeless
During our holiday we got to spend two nights in Seattle. Our hotel was a short stroll from the truly impressive Seattle Central Library with its extraordinary architecture – a creative mixture of glass, steel, large open spaces and unusual angles. Bibliophile that I am I couldn’t resist a visit and thought I’d get a feel for the libraries priorities by noting what it was advertising on a large “what’s on” board. Centre stage was a notice announcing a remembrance service for three “beloved community...
read moreAirport Time… All Seven Hours of It
Airports are genuinely fascinating. On the one hand they are a business like any other – transporting people or freight from one point to another – better airlines doing so in the notified timeframe and with all people and goods intact. But oh my, the stories behind the trips people are taking are not all the same. There are the seasoned travellers, usually there for business, the flight simply a necessary evil to enable them to do the work they are required to. You spot them straight away – dressed a little more smartly,...
read moreOn waiting: Reflections on a Cruise
Rosemary and I are currently on holiday in the US and Canada, presently on a cruise from Philadelphia to Quebec to be more precise. Our journey started with a few hiccups. A passenger on our flight out of Perth tried to lift his bag into the hold, discovered it was too heavy for him, and as I was seated below, let it drop on my head – I kid you not! Fortunately I’ve a pretty thick skull so there was no harm done that a panadol couldn’t rectify. Then Rosemary, not to be outdone but willing to wait her turn, had a spectacular fall during...
read moreRose, Bud, Thorns – Because Perspective Matters
Roses are beautiful, but the most spectacular ones have thorns. It makes sense. Something as exquisite as a rose needs some protecting, for though lovely, they are delicate and vulnerable, and need some safguarding from grasping hands which might clutch their blooms without thought or heed. I recently led a leadership strategic planning day and instead of the tried and trusted SWOT analysis (strengths/ weaknesses/ opportunities/ threats) was asked to run a similar but not identical Rose/ Buds/ Thorns exercise, where you explore what is deeply...
read moreOn the Death of a Sister: Remembering Sheila
Last week was almost a really good week. So many things had gone right. A work project finished; I’d preached well on Sunday (well that’s what I thought); a lovely lunch with the family; a celebration of a friends 70th birthday (his wife wrote such a funny, lovely poem about him); and lots to look forward to – Rosemary’s birthday this week, and a trip to the US for a holiday the week after. A really lovely week, and then on Sunday night we got the news – my sister Sheila had died. Sheila, my oldest sister, the...
read moreWhat Really Matters: A Micah 6:8 Summary…
I get to preach at my home church today, kicking off a series “Minor Prophets: Major Justice” which gives a 7 week sweep of Micah to Malachi. I’ve been reading and rereading Micah and have decided to approach the message through the lens of “What this book teaches us about God”. I’ve come up with the title: “What Makes God Mad, Sad and Glad” – and OK, sorry if you don’t like the slick rhyming, but it highlights three themes that stood out for me. For those of you who know something...
read moreA Proverb to Ponder: Listen to Your Body – It Whispers Before it Shouts…
With my last two posts having questioned some proverbs and contemporary mantras, a couple of you asked me what proverbs I think are valid. Here’s one I am thinking of using in my next book Thirty Proverbs to Live By. It’s Listen to your body: It whispers before it shouts. You might not believe this, but I’ve been the poster boy for my local gym! They used me in an advertising spurt, and I’m told 1 person even signed up. At 69, that’s a feat worth boasting about. True, it’s a gym that advertises itself as being for non gym...
read moreWhen Wisdom isn’t Wise: Some Modern Assumptions to Query
Last week I looked at a few proverbs that are now beyond their use by date. In its own way each is rather oppressive. Are you one of my diligent readers who remembers the three I looked at? Curiosity killed the cat; Sticks and stones may break your bones but words will never harm you; and Cut your coat according to your cloth. When I mentioned these three to my older grandchildren they looked at me in blank incomprehension. None were part of their vocabulary, and I am glad about that. As I say, their use by date expired a fair while back....
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