Cultivating what matters
Change for the better “’Kaizen’ has been my word for this year,” Sam explains. It is a Japanese term that means change for the better or continuous improvement. She tells me about a process that commenced for her a little over two years ago. At the time Sam began reassessing her priorities. She was working for the Christian Humanitarian agency, Baptist World Aid (BWAA) and … Continue reading Cultivating what matters
Letting Go
Coming to terms with our mortality gives us a unique perspective. Harry muses on the fact that there are some things he cannot change or fix, as much as he would like to. Mr “Fixit” “My kids knew me as Mr Fixit. Whether it was something broken or whether it was an issue they or one of their friends was dealing with. It was usually, … Continue reading Letting Go
The Circassian Exile
My father, Nanu, was born 99 years ago on this day. In some ways he was a simple, uncomplicated sort of man. He loved peace, quiet and the company of people who connected him to his homeland in the Caucasus. He was proud, stubborn, could hold grudges over seemingly trivial things, yet was a doting grandfather and loyal family man. Reflecting on the sort of … Continue reading The Circassian Exile
A choice to love
“It’s a slow burn grief. There is not a week goes by that you don’t experience some sort of grief.” Andy reflects on the past five years since his wife Julie was diagnosed with early onset dementia. “I’m a farm boy, before I went into ministry I was a tradie. We don’t cry. We’re tough. We pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps. None of … Continue reading A choice to love
A hiker’s view of transitions
“I don’t see transitions as being gentle, ongoing, slightly rocky bush trails. I see them as being difficult. You are going to get bruised and battered. But when you get to the top, you are going to be proud of that. And it will sting for a bit, but what a reminder of what you’ve achieved.” Katie reflects on her love of mountain hiking as … Continue reading A hiker’s view of transitions
Understanding lockdown anxiety
So Sydney is in Covid lockdown again. The next 2 weeks, no substantial contact with anyone outside my home, except if I’m sick, need toilet paper from the shops or a barista-made (take-away) coffee. I decide that I need to go for a walk after online church, where one of the upsides is “seeing” a friend in the chatbox, whom Sue and I haven’t spoken … Continue reading Understanding lockdown anxiety
Understanding wealth
How much would you pay to save someone you love? Preparing a talk about what some ancient proverbs have to say about wealth, I reacquainted myself with Jean Paul Getty. A few years ago I read his biography, All the Money in the World (not to be confused with the film of the same title). His life is fascinating reading and I thought a great … Continue reading Understanding wealth
A Returning Transition
Some of our best-known story lines portray a character returning home after a period of absence. Depending on our story, the main protagonist returns from a protracted absence to confront circumstances that cannot be ignored and that only she or he can face. Moses is one such character in the Bible, returning to Egypt to lead his people out of slavery. You could probably think … Continue reading A Returning Transition
Understanding pain
I realise that so much of my life is spent trying to avoid pain. In a sheer guess, I suspect avoiding pain is just the other side of the coin to “pursuing pleasure” and all of us are motivated by either one side or the other throughout our lives. Don’t misunderstand me, I’m not saying this is necessarily a bad thing. There are all sorts … Continue reading Understanding pain
