The ins and outs of blogging

I've discovered something. Blogging is a discipline, It isn't something that comes naturally to me. I actually have to sit down and force myself to do it. I'm not naturally a person who sits for hours in front of a computer typing away about every little detail of my life. I like computers, they are a great tool, but I'm not married to one and I find myself wanting to do other things than just write down every random thought that comes into my head.

I'm pretty sure this is linked to personality as well. some people are natural talkers - they can do it with little or no effort at all, writing something is no trouble - its getting them to stop that's the problem. I'm a bit different, if I have something to say then I'll say it - otherwise I say very little. The same applies to blogging for me. I don't feel constrained to 'update' my blog every day with something tasty and interesting. There are days when nothing interesting is happening for me, not that its dull, its just an ordinary day with a routine that doesn't need to be broadcast to the entire internet community.

But here's the rub. Maybe, just maybe, there is something to the discipline of putting down your thoughts on a regular basis, sharing with people, articulating those ideas and random thoughts so that they become clearer to yourself as well as to others. I have friends who have Facebook accounts, and they rag me a bit because I've resisted the trend towards that sort of social networking. That's how they stay in touch and keep up with each other. But I'm not one of them, the principle reason being that there seem to be an awful lot of kooky people out there and every time I think about starting up a facebook account I get spooked by yet another story of someone being stalked over the internet, or somebody who 'unfriended' someone else (is 'unfriended' even a word?) and got an email-full of abuse.

So I'm not really a social networking fan - at least not yet. But I do wonder about the benefit of at least blogging my thoughts and activities so that I know what's going on and how I'm going - that could be a worthwhile activity.

OK, that's enough, I'm off to do some real work.

To facebook or not to facebook

I've been having a bit of an internal struggle. Facebook is a social networking phenomenon. Everywhere I go it seems people have their own facebook page. And alongside this is the expectation that you will update it everyday, meet new friends and generally live your life on facebook, including lining up social engagements.

The problem is, I don't particularly like it. For starters I don't like meeting people over the internet, maybe I'm just an uncool person but it seems that increasingly facebook is being used as an alternative to actually meeting people face to face. It feels dehumanising to me. And then there's all this friending and unfriending stuff.

But I guess what really gets to me is the plethora of mindless drivel that gets put on facebook pages. I really don't need to know where a person is 24/7 and I really don't need to know what they are doing every minute of the day. I wonder whether the internet is actually a bad way to make friends and connect with people.

As I am writing this I am being told that there is (yet another) website that provides an online forum to discuss why/how so many people are leaving church and not coming back; and invites such people to take part in this forum. I'm actually going to suggest that the presence of this website is symptomatic of the problem - connection. There seems to be a train of thought that believes we are living in an age where we can substitute real meaningful, face-to-face relationship for an online chat forum. I wonder if we haven't been sold the dummy of believing that emails can replace a phone call, texting can replace conversation and real friendship can be fostered on facebook, myspace, twitter and any number of social networking chat sites. I'm not that certain anymore that we can!

Don't get me wrong, I have an iphone, I'm on my laptop daily and I have a blog. I can pretty much communicate with people without ever seeing them face to face. I'm alone in front of my laptop communicating my thoughts and feelings to the world without ever hearing another voice, seeing another human being or speaking another word. I could do that if I want to, I'm naturally an introvert so its no real problem to me. But I choose not to, I think I need people, I think I need physical presence, I think I need to hear another voice, to see another face and speak thoughts out loud. And I think God wired me that way.

Once more into the breach...!

Yep, back again after a long hiatus. Why so long you may ask. Well I guess there are a couple of reasons behind it.

Firstly we have had a plethora of holidays, long weekends and stuff that have been going on. Its kind of hard to write something when there are kids underfoot who are bored and always looking for Dad to entertain them. My life sort of went on hold during holidays. now the kids are back at school, long weekends are all over and I have the house to myself; which means I am free to journal, blog and, oh yes, look for work.

On the work front...

Still haven't found a job... and yes I have been looking. I do want to work, I feel rested and ready, but truthfully I can't seem to get an interview. I am trying my best to avoid going to Centrelink. I have been there before and they were no help at all. I don't mind being on benefits but seriously the hoops you have to jump through to get them are not worth the money they give out. I went there in the hopes that they would have a couple of options in helping me find work (even some re-training maybe) but no way - they took my details and then told me I was on my own and that I was expected to apply for any and every job that came along! Really? Does that include applying for jobs such as a company CEO, an airline pilot, maybe an investment banker?

Now I know they didn't mean that of course, what they actually meant was that I should consider jobs that sat outside my skills and experience. stuff like cleaning or kitchen hand. I don't mind those jobs either... except I have a wife and kids who expect me to bring home enough money to put food on their table and keep a roof over their heads; and those sorts of jobs won't do that. Hence my strong desire to stay as far away from Centrelink as possible.

OK enough of that. Yes I am looking for work and no I'm not sitting in front of the TV waiting for something to turn up. I am reading, journaling, blogging, cooking, listening to some good sermons, writing applications and cleaning the house.

Melbourne again...

While I was in Melbourne we went to the zoo (something we always enjoyed doing when we lived there). I managed to bring along my iphone with a camera app called 'best camera' (you can get it from the app store). I'm not an expert photographer by any means but this little app is quite useful in letting you edit and change the look of your pictures. It was pretty easy to work with and fun to use as well. Here are some of the results...                           

Well, OK this last one isn't strictly a zoo animal, but sometimes....

That's Better!

We spent the last week in Melbourne with some really good friends. during that time I decided (with some encouragement from the kids) to give the éclairs another go. This time I had the benefit of practice AND a good fan-forced oven. This was the result...

 

 

 

 

 

And this was the response...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not bad for a second go I reckon

What's important?

I've been reading more of Wayne Cordeiro's book 'Leading on Empty'. There's a couple of chapters there where he talks about operating out of our strengths/passions rather than operating to fulfil a job description. He asks 2 questions:

1. What makes up your most important 5 percent? What's the stuff that God has given you that only you can do? Pastors can often fill their days with stuff that can be done perfectly well by someone else, but there is a small percentage (5%) that you are called to do - that's the most important 5 percent.
2. What fills you up and what drains you? What replenishes our soul and what empties it?

As I'm reading this I keep trying to think what my answers would be. It's pretty hard for me to think like this but maybe that is part of this journey for me. I need to think differently; that is, I need to start thinking about the stuff that I've not really thought about before. Most of my life I've spent trying to fit in with whatever role or task people wanted me to do. I tried to become all things to all people so that I would be more employable, more attractive to prospective churches (or employers). But there is within me a tension that I am coming to recognise, I don't want to be all things to all people. I don't want to 'fit in' with whatever anybody wants from me. I want to find something that I can be passionate about - something I could 'sell my soul to' and do that. I'm tired of playing chameleon to the vast variety of churches out there who want a Pastor to do anything and everything for them. I can't - I'm only one person and have the limitations that only one person has.

So here it is, the stuff I would die for, the stuff I would live for, the stuff that replenishes me, the most important 5%:

1. Relationships that inspire
2. Solitude - not the loner monk-in-the-desert type, or the 'loneliness' thing; but opportunities - space - to reflect and think.
3. Preaching and teaching - the idea of taking a biblical truth and explaining/applying it is always something I get a kick out of.
4. Prayer
5. My family - yes they drive me crazy sometimes but my world is richer for them.
6. Reading - when I left college I had read so much stuff I couldn't pick up a book for years - but I'm now starting to get back my love of books again.
7. Cooking
8. Sport - love watching it and getting along to games when I can. The Red Bull Air Race has been a favourite of mine ever since it came to Perth.
9. Things done right - especially when it comes to church - too often we compromise on quality, the cheaper coffee will do,  recycled furniture is OK, poorly rehearsed music is good enough. I don't believe in that - even the smallest church can to stuff well.

That's my list - so far - its pretty rough at the moment - it needs refining and articulating, but it's a start. And already I'm aware of how out of whack my last job was. I didn't fit very well at all. Now of course in any church/employment situation there has to be give and take, I'm not so naive as to assume that the perfect fit is out there for me. But I have to operate out of the core of who I am or things fall apart for me. And at my last church that wasn't happening, I was being asked to do stuff that didn't sit well with who I was - and I was being asked to do that all the time. No time for reflection or prayer for example - just go go go every minute of the day. I felt like I was suffocating inside.

A night at The Bloke

Last night I went to a men's event called 'The Bloke' at Riverview Church. The whole night was dedicated to all things male; complete with drag racers, bikes, a bucking bronco and live bands. The event is staged about 3 times a year by the church with the aim of specifically having contact with men who would normally never go near the place. It's a clever idea and perhaps one that other churches could pick up on. The cost is about $20, that includes a free beer and hot dog upon entry. Usually there is an interview with a well known guest - last night it was Steve Bradbury (our only speed skating gold medallist) - and a wrap-up talking about stuff that men relate to.

You can tell that the church puts a lot of time and effort into the night. Its well organised, professional and thoughtful; the short talk at the end was useful without being sentimental or preachy. I'd like to see more churches do something like this. I can remember the days when a men's event usually involved a missionary in a safari suit, a badly cooked dinner and an hour long sermon - I was too embarrassed to bring any of my mates. I know we've come a long way since then, but it seems to me that men's stuff is still a ministry that is neglected by churches.

I still struggle with the idea that somehow when it comes to events like these, churches seem to have the attitude that 'second best is good enough'. In a world where well produced, professional entertainment can be seen on TV for free, is it any wonder that men choose to stay at home rather than come to a church 'men's breakfast' or some other event that has been organised on the cheap? As churches, we need to put money into these events - even if we can only afford one a year! Yes! I know, money always seems to be in short supply. But I think we need to take this seriously, and that means putting real money and effort into the event - quality stuff, professional work, good speakers! If we are serious about 'reaching the lost' then we need to ditch the 'she'll be right attitude' that can and still does exist in many churches. We live in a world where people are more discerning about their choices and less likely to put up with something that doesn't come up to scratch. Its true that we can't all do something as big as this, but we can do it better, we should do it better - there is eternity at stake here.

Bookworm

I have started reading Wayne Cordeiro's book 'Leading on Empty'. . I have always pictured Wayne Cordeiro (New Hope Honolulu) as one of those out there, high profile, strong, dynamic, visionary type of leaders; in the vein of Hybels, Maxwell et al. I picked up the book along with a couple of others at Koorong last week. I wanted something that would speak into some of the places I have been over the last 18 months. Normally I would have ignored authors like Cordeiro - you know the type. Its not that I don't respect them, its just that I really have trouble connecting with these people... but t hat's a whole new blog.

Anyway I picked this book up because the title intrigued me. 'What's a high profile, energetic, visionary leader doing with a title like this?' I thought. The book chronicles Cordeiro's own journey through burnout and depression and the lessons he learned through his experience. In spite of my general apprehension, I find myself empathising with his journey - even great leaders have human failings and fragile natures. I am appreciating his honesty as he chronicles his own journey and the insights and strategies he shares for dealing with this. Right now I'm looking at 6 of the most important areas of life - the 5% that 'shapes our souls'. Cordeiro discovered that he was devoting 85% of his time to stuff that didn't need it. Only 5% was spent on the really important stuff - the stuff that only he can do! The stuff that God has shaped him to do.

I think that in a sense that is where I am right now - part of my leaving was made much easier by the certain knowledge that I was being bent out of shape - forced into a role, a mould that just didn't fit. Looking forward to reading some more.