Booking our family holiday for Queensland today.
Spending some time in the Hinterlands, Gold Coast and then up to Cairns.
Looking forward to it…a lot!
Kids are looking forward to eating mangoes, theme parks, meeting Bindi Irwin and Sponge Bob Squarepants.

I am looking forward to turning the mobile off….discovering some good Queensland coffee and swimming at Green Island again. Was there when I was 12, interesting to see if it is as I remember it….and yes, that was a few decades ago!

I spoke on 2 Samuel 6 yesterday, the story of King David bringing the Ark of the Covenant up to the City of David, Jerusalem.
It is a stirring story, but also a confronting one.

“Maybe this is why we read, David and the whole house of Israel celebrated before the Lord with all their might, with songs, harps, lyres, tambourines, sistrums and cymbals…
There was a lot of noise.
Can you imagine 30 thousand men singing and playing their hearts out, before the Lord.
The average footy crowd is 30 thousand people.
Here are the chosen men, chosen to sing and celebrate the moving of this ark to its rightful place. What a celebration, what a joy, what a magnificent spectacle.
Until….the Lord anger burns against someone, and they are struck down, and right there beside the ark….Uzzah…who put his hand out to steady the toppling ark…died. Stone dead.

You know there are pieces in the bible that quite frankly I wish were not there, because it would be a lot easier when we are speaking to people who are not church people, if certain pieces of stories where just not there.
This is one of those pieces for me.”

The rest of the message will be online at Inglewood Church to listen to by tommorow afternoon. I will post the link to the MP3 here.
Go here

Yesterday when I took the kids to their swimming lessons, there was a mum there, obviously frustrated with her son, who was about 10 or 11.
He would not get out of the ‘kiddies’ pool despite her protesting. Eventually he got out, and because he took so long, and was beligerant, he got a couple of good whacks in the bottom.

Thats the story, true as I saw it….

Here is what I think.

Whatever you think about smacking your kids…….

1. Don’t discipline your child in front of a whole heap of people you don’t know, in a public place. It is embarassing for the child, and for you.

2. By the time a boy hits ten years old, most mums are going to find smacking pretty inneffectual as a detterant or punishment, most 10 year old boys will find it hard to contain their mirth.

Pastor Wayne Field of Australind Baptist is one of my best friends. We are very similar in our style and values of ministry.
Very happy to see his church doing some seriously good things in Australind.
MEDIA RELEASE 14th August 2009
Community Boost brings Award Nomination

‘Boost’, a service program initiated by local church, Australind Baptist, has been nominated for the 2009 Curtin University of Technology Regional Service Award and Australia Post Community Of The Year Award, which forms part of the Regional Achievement and Community Awards for Western Australia.
The church was nominated by Australind Primary School Principal, Mr Darrin Tinley, in response to the support given to the primary school. In his submission he noted in the past 12 months members of the church has donated approximately $30,000 and an estimated 830 hours of voluntary service to initiatives which benefited the school community.

As well as financing a Chaplain, volunteers provide non-religious tutoring and mentoring to students, supervision for excursions, and gift vouchers to help cover personal expenses for people in need.

“They have given their time, hearts and minds to our students and staff and we are a much better school for their involvement. They would never do what they do to gain awards, however, we felt they deserved the recognition for the amazing support they give.” Mr Tinley said.

“This wonderful group of dedicated people is a significant boost to many in our school community; many of our students have benefited from the pastoral care they have provided.”

Australind Baptist Pastor, Wayne Field, says the nomination is a great encouragement, “In an age where some would question the value of the church, this nomination affirms that our people really do play a significant role in the community.”

“The ‘Boost’ program has evolved out of a genuine affection we have for the community. We did not go looking for it, but rather it developed over time as needs in the school became evident and as people in our church responded to meeting those needs.” Pastor Field said.

“Part of Australind Baptist Church’s vision statement is to demonstrate ‘life-changing love and compassion’ to the local community; the ‘Boost’ programme at Australind Primary School is the means by which we can assist people in our local community who need practical help to get back on their feet.”

Pastor Wayne Field and Principal Darrin Tinley outside Australind Primary School

And got through a lot of it….just waiting for a rather large file to print….Jazz in the Wood is coming!
stay tuned for details…but essentially we are doing a Jazz Concert at Inglewood.
Supported by City of Stirling, aimed at a more mature audience than we normally attract.
Should be great!