Quote for today

 

"Faith based on certainty isn't faith at all"

........ “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”
 Matt 8:20

Men and Intimacy!!

From a blog by one of my favourite Christian teachers - Fr Richard Ruhr

I think that many of us men, celibate men even more, are very afraid of intimacy. I would define intimacy as the ability to mutually share one’s needs, one’s wounds, or one’s weaknesses with another person. The sharing of our inner or interior world (“intimus” in Latin) is always a risk, usually a fear of rejection, and thus many of us never go there. It might change our self image. But I am going to make a rather absolute statement: people who risk intimacy are invariably happier and much more real people. They feel like they have lots of “handles” that allow others to hold on to them, and that allow them to hold onto themselves! People who avoid intimacy are always, and I mean always, imprisoned in a small and circular world. One good thing about celibacy is that it can tell us that an awful lot of sex is not intimacy at all. The good thing about sexuality is that it creates an obvious and ideal container for true intimacy, at least now and then. I really wonder how one would know how to be iintimate with God, if you have never practiced risky self disclosure with at least one other human being (Is this the real meaning of “nakedness”?). I sincerely doubt the possibility. Both healthy celibacy and sexual encounter demand deep and true intimacy, and both can be the most effective avoidance of it. (Written after almost 50 years in a celibate community of men, and after lots of counseling in a “strangely” sexualized world.)

link to the original http://richardrohr.wordpress.com/

Clergymen clash at birthplace of Jesus

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Crazy Stuff!!!!

from a Yahoo 7 News story! - http://au.news.yahoo.com/world/a/-/world/12466942/clergymen-clash-at-birthplace-of-jesus/

The annual cleaning of one of Christianity's holiest churches has deteriorated into a brawl between rival clergy, as dozens of monks feuding over sacred space at the Church of the Nativity battled each other with brooms until police intervened.

The ancient church, built over the traditional site of Jesus's birth in Bethlehem, is shared by three Christian denominations - Roman Catholics, Armenians and Greek Orthodox.

Wednesday's fight erupted between Greek and Armenian clergy, with both sides accusing each other of encroaching on parts of the church to which they lay claim.

The monks were tidying up the church ahead of Orthodox Christmas celebrations in early January, following celebrations by Western Christians on December 25. The fight erupted between monks along the border of their respective areas. Some shouted and hurled brooms.

Palestinian security forces rushed in to break up the melee, and no serious injuries were reported.

A fragile status quo governs relations among the denominations at the ancient church, and to repair or clean a part of the structure is to own it, according to accepted practice. That means that letting other sects clean part of the church could allow one to gain ground at another's expense. Similar fights have taken place during the same late-December cleaning effort in the past.

Armenian and Greek Orthodox clergymen scuffle inside the Church of Nativity. Photo: AAP

Tensions between rival clergy at the church have been a fact of life there for centuries and have often been caught up in international politics.

In the 1800s, friction between the denominations at the church - each backed by foreign powers - became so fraught that Russian Czar Nicholas I deployed troops along the Danube to threaten a Turkish sultan who had been favouring the Catholics over the Orthodox.

Those disagreements threaten the integrity of the church itself, which was originally built 1500 years ago and parts of which have fallen into disrepair. Although the roof has needed urgent work for decades, and leaking rainwater has ruined much of the priceless artwork inside, a renovation has been delayed all these years by disagreements among the denominations over who would pay.

Only recently, the Palestinian Authority brokered an agreement to move ahead with replacing the roof, and officials hope work will begin in 2012.

Suffering

The effect of

suffering, upon us,

depends on what we

love

                                             Thomas Merton

*****

Picture Perfect - Caption It!!!

Caption This!!!!!!

Vegetarianism is harmless enough,
though it is apt to fill a man with wind and make him do the weirdest things!!

*******

For the rules of the competition 

http://fotofriday.multiply.com/

To enter the competition
http://fotofriday.multiply.com/journal/item/487/Picture_Perfect_Caption_it

Backyard Photography - Dogfight at the OK Corral!

Family Feud - Magpie Style
..... and Quardle oodle ardle wardle doodle The Magpies said.
                                                                from the poem by - Denis Glover





It all started with these two young fledglings in dispute over who know's what. One attacked the other then an airborne war errupted.

This photo is compiled from three photos.

Magpies hang out in large family groups so I am guessing the two young ones came from separate families as almost the instant they started to fight, the battle erupted in the skies above. There were about 15 magpies involved in the fighting - doing battle in the back yard and surrounding neighbour's gardens. I do not know if any of you have seen Magpies work together in their air battles with hawks, or other birds, but they are incredibly co-ordinated tactically, and move at frightening speeds - just like the old fashioned WW2 air dogfights and lethal , I can tell you!! It might have been a game to teach the young ones the art of aerial warfare but, whatever it was, it lasted a good 5 minutes and thrilling to watch. I did manage to get a few blurry photos from the many, many I took or thought I was taking of them fighting with no time to set my camera's settings, nor focus.  I could not even sight them in my viewfinder - it was just shooting from the hip as they swooped about the sky. It was so beautiful to watch and, had I thought of it, it might have been better if I had changed to movie settings to capture their amazing agility in the air and tactics in their art of warfare. I must add though that 'no bird was harmed or injured in the making of this post'!!

The funniest part of the whole event was one of the young bird which flew up on the roof of the veranda above me, freaking and attempting to hide to keep away from the dangers of the battle raging around him. He was so focused in looking out for his safety that he did not even notice that I was just three feet away taking photos. I could feel his trepidation and see the fear in his eyes as he nervously searched the skies for danger. I hope these few photos have captured his body language.

Can you see the fear in his eyes???

***

Thank you for reading!
Denis Glover's poem, The Magpies, is one every New Zealander studies at school and one I am sure every New Zealander Loves
'link'

***

deal of the day

http://www.dwidigitalcameras.com.au/dealoftheday/20111212/index.html?utm_content=cleaunz%40yahoo.com.au&utm_source=VerticalResponse&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=click%20here&utm_campaign=Deal%20of%20the%20Day%3A%20Free%20Priority%20Shipping!content
Great deal with free priority delivery Canon lens

Picture Perfect - Macro

Clover Flower Macros

Two photos of Clover taken recently.

For the rules of the competition 

http://fotofriday.multiply.com/

To enter the competition
http://fotofriday.multiply.com/journal/item/486/Pic_Perf_Macro_Theme

Photo and quote for today

THE GALAH

Rose-breasted Cockatoo

"Lots of people talk to animals.... Not very many listen, though.... That's the problem."

                                                                                                                                                          Benjamin Hoff, The Tao of Pooh

When you look at the photo what is the Galah saying to you??





 

Picture Perfect - Silhouette

Silhouette

Warming up by the river

For this week I have had to search my photo folders for this theme. Time is always an issue for me on weekends - most weeks am itching to enter a photo for the themes but can't.This week I have some time so here is my Silhouette from my collection. It's taken in our winter - a group of backpackers in conversation, warming up in the warm, early morning winter's sun.

Some more Silhouettes

Early morning surf

Silhouetted Dolphins

Morning surfers

For the rules of the competition 

http://fotofriday.multiply.com/

To enter the competition
http://fotofriday.multiply.com/journal/item/485/PPF_Silhouette_

Thoughts resulting from a reply from Marianne

Foundations of Self Esteem

"you are of more value than many Sparrows"
                                                                    Matt 10:31

Do we, as parents, Love our children more if they achieve or do
we give them our Love so they have a firm foundation with which to achieve??

We are more often raised with the belief that Love is a reward. We cannot be respected or admired or Loved without some level of performance or achievement. we go through life as performers and achievers thinking - when I ' do this' then I will finally be loveable. It soon becomes an addiction and eventually our achievements never seem enough - never will be enough  - we keep on doing and doing and doing, perpetually! It lowers our self esteem, we create doubts about ourselves and if we measure up - limiting our future.

As Christians

Does God Love us more if we achieve or does He give us His Love
so we have a firm foundation with which to achieve??

We are taught to believe that God would love us if and when we are good and change our ways - perform for Him so to speak. It is the way we are taught as young Christians and carry these thoughts into our adult life - be good, change your ways and God will reward you. But as in our daily lives if we continue in this way we will spend our lives always feeling we fall short and we never seem to be good enough or change enough. Creating low self esteem and doubts in ourselves as Christians. In fact what we forget is that it is 'Love' that changes us. It is not the reward for change - it is Gods, unconditional, given Love that will bring about the change. It is the experience of that Love that becomes the power to Change. More often it is our common religion that gives the inferior message - that God Loves us when I change, when I achieve (moralism) You are never holy enough, pure enough, refined enough or loving enough.

* * * *

Backyard Photograhy

Who killed Cock Robin??

Who killed Cock Robin?

I, said the Sparrow,

with my bow and arrow,

I killed Cock Robin.

                                             (link)

One of my latest blog projects is to photograph all the birds that come into my garden. There are many varieties of birds so will take some time to complete. Not because of the numbers so much as it can prove tricky plus I have to be so inventive to photograph them the way I want or the way I feel they look best. This one above I like because the sweet peas make for a perfect setting for the photo. It is taken on the fence bordering the garden next to my neighbours bird feeder. I thought it made for a nice photo - particularly with the early morning sun to back light the petals of the sweetpeas. To get it meant using the clothesline as a form of camouflage and then poke the lens through the hanging, wet clothes and to wait - very impatiently - patience is not my strength. The camera gets heavy because I have to sit waiting camera ready as any movement scares the birds away. In this way the bonus is that photography teaches me how to be patient. I have lots of little stories on the things I have had to do to get the photos I want, but will save them for future blogs once I have collected the photos I want. I am pretty sure all of you who read this also have sparrows visiting their gardens or streets - perhaps one of the very few things we all have in common.

Nature Walk

The Nature on my Doorstep.

It amases me the abundance of nature i find on my daily walks - everything from whales to butterflies are there for me to occupy my time and fill my photography folders, as I wander through the beaches and headlands with Rosie (Michelles dog). I have an album of selected photos taken over the last 10 days to share with you and have attached a link for you to view if you wish.  At the moment and for the next month or so there is a constant procession of Whales returning to their summer Antarctic feeding grounds after the winter  birthing of their calves in  the warm northern waters of the Great Barrier Reef off the Queensland Coast 2,000km to the North. This photo shows a mother laying on her back with both pectoral fins waving above the surface. It's calf is doing likewise beside her - the calf has one fin above the water just to the left of the mother. As for the butterflys - In have hundreds of photos of them - all out of focus. I am trying to catch one on the wing which is so difficult to do but perseverence will one day bear some fruit - when I do I will for sure post it!!

 The Walk in Perspective

I am including in this post some photos of one part of my daily walks. The first above is a photo I took a few years back on my old budget Camera. It is from a mountain to the south of the area I live in. The photos I have here and in the album are all taken on that little outcrop in the center of the photo. I live in that little group of houses you can barely make out at the back of the headland. Mostly, my walks start by walking down to the cliff edges and from there either head north to the colection of beaches that make up Bonny Hills or south over the headland to the larger beach you see in the photo to the right. The town in the forground is Laurieton. It is the nearest town with a shopping center and is where we do our grocery shopping and pay our bills etc.

***

This photo is taken from the southern side of the headland looking south toward the mountain in the distance this is from where I took the previous photo of the coastline. This position is, more or less, from where I took the photo of the whale and it's calf out in the bay. I had to use the full extension of the 400mm lens to get the photo and then crop to a size whre the pixels would not blow out so you could stull make out the fins of the whales.

***

Next is to show where I start my walk. This is where the end of my street meets the open bush of the headland. We can either take the path you see here leading down to Sharkies Beach (The name us locals use for the beach) or another path leading off to the left to the cliffs we locals call bummers. (See the photo below)

***

We call this part of the headland bummers because it is the word more often uttered by local fishermen as their catch unhooks itself and drops back into the surging water  it was just fished out from. It is such a long way to haul the fish up,giving the fish more time to wriggle itself free!! 'BUMMER' is the cry as the fish dissappears! No wonder fishermen learn the art of patience - either than or they sell their fishing tackle!!

Click the link below if you would like to view some of the nature taken over the last few days

http://cleaunz.multiply.com/photos/album/104/nature_walk_album


Others
http://cleaunz.multiply.com/photos/album/103/the_past_few_weeks_in_photos

http://cleaunz.multiply.com/photos/album/102/Spring_Wildflowers_-_Bonny_Hills_NSW

http://cleaunz.multiply.com/photos/album/85/album_from_morning_july_13th

http://cleaunz.multiply.com/photos/album/45/Wild_weather

http://cleaunz.multiply.com/photos/album/34/before_the_storm_in_November

http://cleaunz.multiply.com/photos/album/25/Paths_and_Other_Stuff

http://cleaunz.multiply.com/photos/album/12/latest_walk


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nature walk album

Reflection of the day - Thursday

Being Present

'Presence'

“So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin"

Matthew 6:28             

When we live in the present we tend to notice the natural world, when we live in our heads, we compare, worry, and judge.

For some reason, the mind cannot just be present to the moment, where it could find delight in the “birds in the sky” and the “lilies of the field” that Jesus has just described as the simple antidote to all of our “worrying.” He says “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will take care of itself”   (Matthew 6:34}

***

Reflection of the day - Wednesday

Prayer

".... praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints"

Eph 6:18         

Contemplative Prayer is what changes the seer much more and better than passively being told what we are to see. Most Christians are more familiar with "prayer." More often, prayer has become something functional; something you do to achieve a desired effect—which too often puts our pride back in charge. If you make prayer a way to get what you want, you’re not moving into any kind of change or relationship with God. It's the same old relationship, but well disguised: "How can I get God to do what I want God to do?" It's the, egocentric, false self deciding what it, or God, needs and not looking or having the faith to accept what God wants. Instead of just manipulating everybody else, it tries to manipulate God. For this reason religion can become so dangerous and delusional. If religion does not transform people at the level of both mind and heart, it ends up giving self-centered people a very pious and untouchable way to be on top and in control. How often do we see this in our churhes? God becomes their defense - this is what Jesus found to be true of the Scribes, Pharisees, and teachers of the law.

You discover your True Self in God. It is not discovered by anything you have done right or wrong. It is not about requirements; it’s about relationship — the quality and capacity of your relationship with God. This is the foundation for contemplative prayer. The false self will say prayers but the True Self is a prayer and looks out at reality from a different pair of eyes larger than its own. This is why in Ephesians it says "pray always" (6:18). We pray always whenever we act in conscious and loving union with God, which eventually can be all the time—even in our sleep!

***

Reflection of the day - Tuesday

The Little Things

Willy wagtail.

“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”

Matthew 13 : 31

It is 'the little things' that keep God's kingdom growing. What impresses people does not impress God. People who think they are at the top are often at the bottom, and that people who think they are at the bottom are often at the top.

***

Reflection of the day - Monday

Faith

Local Bonny Hills Surf Lifesavers practice their Surfboat skills.

“Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”

Matthew 14 : 28 - 30

The second step in the 12 step program of AA states
“We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.”

Surrendering our faith does not happen instantly as Peter found out, in the above quote. It is a long, long journey. It is an extensive walk, a walk in Trust, a gradual letting go, unlearning our old ways of dealing with our addictions to fears - it is a handing over unconditionally to the new. No one does it on the first or even second attempt. Desire and longing must be deepened and broadened otherwise we soon sink as peter did and all we can do is cry out to be saved and start the walk all over again. Like the crew in this boat above we  must tend to the rowing and leave the steering and direction of our energy to the person on the helm to bring us safely to the beach through the gigantic surf - otherwise we are all at sea.

***

Reflection of the day - Sunday

Forgiveness

Sharkies Beach - The view at the end of our street.

  “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

Luke 23 : 34                                                                

The most powerful of human experiences is to give or to receive forgiveness.
When we forgive .......

We choose the goodness of the other over their faults.

We experience God’s goodness flowing through ourselves.

We experience our own goodness in a way that almost surprises us.


***

Yes!!!!!

Yes Yes YES!!!!

the past few weeks in photos

Photo for today October 11th 2011

Calcify - become inflexible and unchanging!

This stone I found on a walk at low tide around the rocks at Bonny Hills. I have looked for it again but the sea, as you are aware, constantly changes things and is buried again beneath the sands that the recent stormy weather brought with it. It reminds me of those stereo-typical 'angry old people' who hold to the past and remain in their state of confusion - looking like they sucked lemons all their lives and resenting the change that new generations bring. Better, I think, to add a little of their experiences to the change.

"We need teachers, but we mainly need teachers who are first of all living examples of what they teach".

Pope Paul VI                      

Click the link below for more photos, from the last weeks, walking around Bonny Hills
http://cleaunz.multiply.com/photos/album/103/the_past_few_weeks_in_photos

Changes!!

Michelle

Change is really been a huge part of my life over the last months since the new year. It all started last January when Michelle (above) out of the blue said she would like to re-kindle our relationship after 14 years of being apart! I was so surprised I actually asked her to repeat what she had said as I thought I had misheared her question. Well here I am 10 months later sitting in our new home writing this blog. I kept it pretty much to myself here on Multiply apart from a few exceptions and now that I am all settled into a new life I can share it with you all. It is kinda strange after years of thinking and doing all for myself as I am sure many of you would understand, but its a nice journey smoothing over the path of the joys and difficulties of a new relationship. One thing I like is that we already know each other so, so very well that there are no big surprises to test the relationship plus being an instant family of three again no problems arise from a sudden intrusion into our and our daughters life. She is so so happy about it all too as I am sure you again can imagine. Me too!!

* * * * *

The main changes have been leaving my job in Sydney - not that living apart due to my work is not a good thing but we had so much to do, such as making everything new like a new home for the new start and to, for a while anyway, spend as much time together enjoying the fruits of our new life together. It is likely that I will work away from home again but a little closer for the frequent visits. One thing we have both enjoyed is the distance - it brings it's own quality into our relationship. Moving into our new home and buying all new things to go into the home, has taken up so much time. Sorting out the old place and cleaning it up was so much work - we did it all ourslelves and I can tell you it took weeks removing every speck from every corner and fixing up or replacing the bits and pieces that were broken or worn out. Then of course there is the moving part - which again we did ourselves. We did think that replacing all the old with the new would make it easier but crikey that ain't true! But - now we are in - not unpacked - but who cares - we are in!!!!!!! It can stay where it is a while!

Work wise I have no idea what's ahead but I took some time alone down in Tea Gardens for a while, while we did the first bits of the move and now am enjoying a bit of peace and quiet of our hometown from our new home. I will look a bit more earnestly for work sometime soon but I do glance occasionally at whats around but for now, and the next month or so, I am just gonna enjoy the break and looking at where we will put everything we brought with us and the new things we will buy - It is  pity IKEA is so 400km away as they do not do internet sales. Tess is happy in her new abode too - she has a three bedroom flat downstairs more or less to herself and perfect timing as she just finished her school life with just the exams to go. Perfect!!!!!!! Anyway here are some photos of the things I like about the house to share with you.

Some More Features

Thank you

Nice to share with all my friends here on Multiply!!

Keith





Above the wardrobe door in the bedroom

Spring Wildflowers - Bonny Hills NSW

Small Spring Wildflowers photographed on the headland of my hometown of Bonny Hills NSW.

BEST VIEWED IN SLIDESHOW

Photo for today September 24th

The Colours of Spring

The headland at the end of our street is alive, at the moment, with native, spring wildflowers. I made it my mission, over the last week, to get out with the camera and photograph them before they all dissappeared, as they can so quickly do. You will find a link to an album to accompany this blog below - please note that I have no idea of their names but they are beautiful anyway with or without a name. I might make n effort to look them up sometime in the future.

Out on the headland

Click below to view the album of spring flowers in my neighbourhood
http://cleaunz.multiply.com/photos/album/102/Spring_Wildflowers_-_Bonny_Hills_NSW

Picture Perfect Friday - Alliteration

Swift Swallow - Swooping

It took a long time and heaps of shots to get this photo of the Swallow as it swooped past under the verandah roof - the things ya do to get the shot you need - lucky it is the age of the digital camera and not paying for all the shots it took.

To enter click on the following link.

http://fotofriday.multiply.com/journal/item/463/Picture_Perfect_Alliteration

An album for Mitchy LR

Growing Wild

"What we have to be is what we are."

— Thomas Merton

Attached is a small album of photos inspired by our, and my, Multiply friend Mitch. He is, to me,  'The KING' of macro photography - in particular flowers and insects. These are all flowers found growing wild in my neighbourhood. Thanks a million Mitch for the inspiration and motivation to enter the world of Macro. I never photograph something in macro without you coming to mind!!

CLICK HERE for the link to the Photo Album

Flowers Growing Wild

These were all found growing wild around my hometown Bonny Hills