This time next week I will be getting off the plane and waiting eagerly to hear Rick Warren speak at the 2006 Hillsong Conference.

These conferences have been valuable times for me as I make a yearly pilgrimage to Sydney. Its a time of challenge, blessings of worship times, and hearing some of the best speakers the Christian Church has to offer.
I understand Hillsong Church, and indeed the style of this conference, is not to everyones liking, but standing with 30, 000 other Christians praising God is always a refreshing time for me.
At Bedford we have no intention or desitre to be like Hillsong Church. But its not about that for me. Its about having a time of spiritual impartation. I preach about 45 times a year, maybe more. I prepare Bible studies, devotions, prayers and do a fair bit of counselling as well. Counselling really saps your energy.

Going to this conference allows me to be filled up and refreshed. Having time to reflect and be focused is valuable and needed by a full time pastor, in my view.
Stay tuned next week as I will post every day on how the conference goes.
Either that or tune out, whatever you like! 🙂

Thats the time my beautiful wife heads of to Melbourne with her sister in the self dubbed “Thelma & Louise” tour. I have it on good authority that Brad is off with some other beautiful woman, so I think I’m safe 🙂

She is off on a very well deserved break, no husband, no kids, no Uni studies, no work.
And before you all think the Credit Card is going to get a hammering, she has saved up for the trip and done extra relief work to get over there. I am so glad she is going, she really deserves and needs the break. But it wont be easy not having her around for three or so days, especially since I leave for Sydney the day after she gets back! we have not spent a lot of time apart since we were married, and its never easy when we are apart.

One guess why I have included this image on this post!

What a great great….draw.
Funny how we got so excited about a draw!!
When a draw happens in the AFL, it is a hollow feeling.
I wouldn’t really know, Freo have never had a draw in their history, but back to the Soccer.

That was an incredible emotional game. A veritable rollercoaster .
It was so engaging, from despair to ecstasy.
I know its only a soccer game, but I am hard pressed to think of a more significant sporting moment in Australia’s history. There are probably ones that equal it, but the world cup is a truly global event.

Bring on the Italians. No one is giving us much hope, but they walk onto the park with 11 players, and so do we.

We went out for coffee at Fast Eddy’s. The service was almost deplorable. I have never been there when they have NOT had something on the menu that could not give you. After about 6 strong coffees, I was after a hot chocolate. Sorry sir, we have run out of hot chocolate. Excuse me??? Overpriced, bad service. The only reason they get any business is because they are 24 hours, and a bunch of hungry men needed a feed after willing Australia to victory.

Go you mighty Socceroos,
need to go have a nap, and get the lungs ready for kickoff, just after 2.30 am.

If you dont watch the game, where is your national pride???
And what will you talk about round the water cooler tommorow???

Robert Walls has had a rather large go at Chris on the back of the West Australian.
So what.
Robert’s claim to fame as a coach was getting his players to stand in a ring and punch each other senseless.
He is a dreadful commentator, boring, and the master of the obvious statement.
Chris Connolly had this to say at his press conference today,
“His comments are irrelevant. Once you have a bad loss, it’s a bad loss. There is no point in me reading comments by people who don’t know our environment. What does that do?” he said.

Chris’ statement is correct. As a leader, involved in the organisation, he knows far more than Walls. Walls cant even get facts right.
Farmer stages for frees : Farmer never gets free
Mc Manus needs to retire : Mc Manus is having his best year ever, and has been BOG for about 3-5 games this year.
McPharlin got injured in a marking collision with Brad Ottens – McPharlin was actually injured in a contest with Nathan Ablett

You have to admire Chris, he fronted up to the circling sharks, and even managed to point out the absurdity of the situation, saying, “The Prime Minister would not get this much press to his conference”.
That is probably true and shows where sport lies in an Australian’s priorities.
He went on and faced up to the facts as well.

“It was a disgraceful performance by Fremantle football club to whom I coach. Our aim is to make the finals and to win a final. I wouldn’t right off Fremantle just yet. We go into the second half of the season with confidence,” Connolly said.
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This is it! I did not think I would be so pumped about a Soccer Game. But this is it, Australia’s chance of making history, our first ever foray into the knock out round.
If we win, its off the Fast Eddy’s Morley for Breakfast and a strong coffee.
If we lose, we’ll the less said the better.

TIME 2.30Am
(NOT 3.30 AS BROCHURE SAYS)

Is there any more trendy item than the Ipod?
Is there anything that is more indicative of our egocentric ‘self’ society’ than the I Pod?

Is there nowhere that we can get away from it?
The answer is no. There is nowhere you can get away from your I Pod.

Now, introducing the IPod toilet roll holder.
There are so many lines here.
Would you listen to ‘poop’ music on it?
Or maybe some ‘rock’ or ‘roll’.
Think about it…..

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