feeling right side up down under

We have arrived...
An arduous journey.
A blessed family.
A warm welcome.
Strong sense of God's presence.
Great friends.
Good food.
God's work.
It may just be true what they say, 'it's not a job, it's an adventure.'

Living in the light...

I've been memorizing scripture as my monthly experiment this month. It's been full and timely... I've been committing 1 John chapter 1 to memory, and hoping to add chapters from there... it'd be cool to do a whole book. Anyway, I love it. AND it's neat the way God times things out or invades our time (depends on whose angle you look from I suppose)... anyway, I'm struck by this verse today, "This is the message God has given us to announce to you, God is light, there is no darnkness in Him AT ALL. So, we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in Spiritual darkness. But if we are living in the light of God's presence, as Christ is, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, His son, cleanses us from every sin."

The thing that struck me is that spiritual darkness leads to isolation. And spiritual LIGHT leads to community. If we live in the light of God the first fruits of it is that we will have fellowship with each other. Isn't that the story of the prodigal son... and the reverse in the garden of Eden.. the cost of darkness is that we lose each other. But the beauty of light - what a celebration, we find each other!
Let's live in the light.

nina simone - my baby just cares for me

this one's for my baby!
Happy Anniversary... my love grows deeper with time... can you imagine what another dozen might bring? wow. Love conquers all.

Alicia Keys - If I Aint Got You

I was singing this to Jesus today...

BUSTED

Jun 18, 2007 02:39 PM - Tamara Cherry with the Toronto Star reports, "Toronto police are being credited for kick-starting a massive 10-month investigation that has led to the collapse of a global online trading network for pedophiles.

More than 700 suspects have been identified worldwide and 31 children as young as two months old featured in sexually explicit pictures and videos have been rescued from abusive situations since the project began, the London-based Child Exploitation and Online Centre (CEOC) said this morning."

YOUR KINGDOM COME! Let's have more of it...

The Father's Love

Fanny Fern said, "to her the name of father was another name for love." I've got two Fathers. I'm grateful for them both - they are full of love. Jesus said, "The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They're full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. Don't fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply. Like this:

Our Father in heaven,
Reveal who you are.
Set the world right;
Do what's best— as above, so below.
Keep us alive with three square meals.
Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.
Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.
You're in charge!
You can do anything you want!
You're ablaze in beauty!
Yes. Yes. Yes.

(Matt. 6:7-13 in The Message)

Take Action

Some great ideas for action on the human trafficking front from REED (resist exploitation, embrace dignity): check out the link at the bottom of this post (and the side panel of justice links).

Take Action
How you can take action to end human trafficking and sexual exploitation:

1. Address the brokenness in your own life.
2. Oppose the total decriminalization of prostitution in Canada.
3. Stop viewing pornography.
4. Make lifestyle choices that do not support globalization.
5. Become more informed and tell your friends about this issue.
6. Initiate praying about this issue as a faith community.
7. Promote gender equality and human dignity in your daily life.
8. Directly ask the men in your life if they pay for sex.
9. Purchase fair trade
10. Live with an open hand
11. Learn about other cultures
12. Give women the same opportunities as men
13. Become informed and tell your friends about this injustice.
14. Write a letter to your Member of Parliament, sharing your concerns about human trafficking, and asking them to change Canadian laws to better protect and serve those who have been trafficked.
15. Support local anti-trafficking efforts and women’s organizations.
16. Advocate for just immigration policy