The interesting thing about a blog is that it is not like a typical journal, because your thoughts are in the public arena, and therefore fair game. Something I have discovered this week.
How careful do I need to be with what I write on my blog? Things written in jest can get you in trouble, and one persons sense of humour, may not be shared by others.

I am not in the business of deliberatly offending people, unless I think they deserve it, just as Jesus did, and sometimes I offend people for the wrong reasons, because I am far from perfect.

Writing a blog is a little like leadership. If you say nothing and do nothing, you cant be misunderstood, or understood and not appreciated!

My sense of humour is a little warped at times. My love for the Dockers is as Matt Price (The Australian) wrote once, ‘a lovely distraction, not to be taken too seriously’.

My dislike for the WC Eagles is also warped, some might say dysfunctional. Its part of my combative nature. It stems from my perception of their arrogance, whether true of valid, thats where I think it comes from. I have always liked the underdog.

My love for people has grown, as I hope I have become more gracious. Yesterday I picked up someone and drove them to church, while they smoked (something that may or may not have been nicotine) and drank a beer, all before 10am. I am convinced about some matters that involve lifestyle choices. My belief in the scriptures is high, but my practice of them is unfortunately not always as it should be. My feet are made of clay. Sometimes some of that mud shows itself in this arena.
Thats me. I wont be going politically correct on this blog, nor will I just write innoffensive fluff material. If you dont agree with something, feel free to say so. But at the end of the day, this is my blog. I hope you like it, and get a laugh out of it sometimes.

The story grows…..
It appears now that Ben did not inform the club of the midemenour until Liam Bartlett broke the story on Friday. He must have been sweating on that uncofessed information all week.

What a shame that he did not just go through the booze bus.
Okay, if he was stupid enough to drink and drive thats one thing. But to run?
He should have faced up to his responsibilties like any normal citizen. One of the issues of course is that he is not a normal citizen, he is the captain of the most publicised sporting club in Western Australia, and whether he likes it or not, a role model to thousands of kids.

Deary deary me,

good to see the weagles on the front and back of the West for all the wrong reason.

My clever wife has given these reasons why Ben may have fled the booze bus

1. He thought the cops said Random Breast Check and he was a committed boyfriend

2. He left the iron on at home and didn’t want the house to burn down

3. The 96FM thunder just announced their location 100 metres up the road and he wanted some freebies

4. The Dockers were signing autographs up the road and he wanted Pavlich’s signature

Thanks to Channel Ten for cheering me up today.
After a pretty intense day, just the sort of good news I needed.

As a good Christian (!) I know I should not delight in the misery of others.
But the bleating and sadness from the West Toast supporters has reached a fever pitch.
Apparently Captain Pretty, Ben Cousins, is being questioned over a possible fleeing from a traffic situation.

Also the former number one ruckman, and all round nice guy (!) Michael Gardiner, is being dropped to Claremont for the 2006 season for disciplinary reasons.
Meanwhile everything is sushine and light down Freo way.

Alright, I’ve stopped gloating and laughing on the inside, back to normal transmission.

This is not a pick on the Catholic Church post. However this article sparked my interest.

“Not even prayer will save Holy Innocents, in south St. Louis, and 18 other churches – one built in 1860 – that have been put on the sale block by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis. The sale involves 80 parcels of property – schools, rectories, convents and churches.”

Personally speaking I dont think God necesarily cares two hoots if 1st Baptist Church nowherville stays open or not. I just think he cares if people are becoming Christians or not. I do think He chooses to use the church as His first option for that. If some churches that are dying had half a conscience, they would sell up and give the proceeds to a group of people, or another church, who are being effective in reaching people for Christ. This makes a powerful argument for buying. You cant give away what you dont own.

In my view we may be guilty of confusing the purposes of God with our own sentimentality.

From Bill Hybels comes this quote,

In Kingdom work, you really do not have the luxury of not taking risks
because we have a world we are trying to win. In a business situation, you can
say, ‘Let’s cut risks this year. We’ve got a million in the bank. All we want to
do is maintain.’ But those of us who are building churches are under a mandate
to move ahead. We are told by our ultimate leader Jesus Christ that we have to
get out there and try to reach people. Which then forces you to be in a
risk-taking mode a good portion of the time. And so I am proud of pastors who,
in the spirit of trying to take new ground, the spirit of trying to reach new
people – who bump their nose once in a while, and who learn a lesson, and who
bump against a guard rail and learn a little bit. At least they’re out there
trying to fulfill the mandate. At least they are in motion trying to do
something great for God. What irks me is when someone gets to the end of a
twelve month period of time and they have clean hands and a clean desk and
nobody can accuse them of anything and they didn’t take any ground. Show me
dirty hands and a messy desk and a few bumps and bruises and a baptism tank
filled with 35 people in it and I’ll take that every time.”

Fremantle v West Coast Subiaco Oval Sunday 26th February4.10pm (Freo Time)

Does anyone else sense the omen that is on the 26th?
Yes, it is Clive’s old number, he who only needs to be known by his first name.

The night will be ours, the serial chokers will be shown up for who they are.
If we win, they will blame their injury list, and the media will kick into gear.
“Dockers lucky again as brave Eagles fight on”

If the Eagles win, I will be trotting out that old line, “the pre season cup is just like dancing with your sister, it does not count”.
That and drowning my sorrows and avoiding the email rush as my hundreds of fairweather eagle supporting ‘friends’ pile it on me.