Pete's Ministry Mindedness

A quick conversation late on Tuesday night has set things going for where I think I want to head longer term.

I will keep it quiet for the moment, unless you ask me personally, but it seems a good option especially if I remain single for a reasonable period of time.

Praise God for giving me contentment, and more importantly for giving me eternal life.

I need to keep praying that I will serve him wisely.

Stupid Thoughts

Sometimes I have been critical of people in the past who have noted that I am at risk of being over-friendly around girls from time to time.
Today I got another interesting taste of the problem, though at the moment I am quite happy to be content.

I have noticed the occasional development of attraction to someone purely based on a little bit of shared time and contact. The thing is that this is often irrational to at least some extent, unhelpful, and also can be very much a distraction.

I guess today the surprise was more the fact that the thoughts arose, rather than anything else implicit, but it was still rather unusual.

I am currently single by God's grace and providence, what he is going to do with that, who knows, but we will have to wait and see.

The travel bug

Life has had some interested twists in it lately.

I feel rather keen to travel, and to visit some parts of the world that absolutely fascinate me.

Those places for me are rather different to those that fascinate my friends though...

Examples:
I am generally quite fascinated with the idea of travelling around Australia. (Except thanks to sporting activities and also many road-trip holidays with my family, I feel that I have done that reasonably well already - barring anything in North Queensland, Northern Territory and North Western Australia plus Melbourne and Tasmania).
I am also interested in travelling to the United States, but the cities I want to visit are not major Coastal places.
I am not a great fan of travelling to Asia now (especially after hearing lots of stuff from my UNSW friends about various places), and I really am not sure why I would want to go to Europe unless I was going to work.

I am generally quite content to live in a beautiful city (both aesthetically designed and naturally attractive) surrounded by wonderful mountains and travel often to a gorgeous South Coast. I have considered the US Travel thing for a little while, but it can be quite expensive, and also there is just so much to see and experience.

I guess I need to keep asking myself the following questions (although not too pragmatically):

1. What effect does travel like this have on the body of Christ generally?
2. When more than 2 days are lost simply in travelling there and back, how much time is reasonable to spend in a certain location?
3. How can I maximise the joy of the travel by sharing it with others?
4. What financial implications come from wanting to take holidays even occasionally frequently?

I guess those questions will be there for as long as I can travel. I almost feel guilt at the thought that I would spend thousands of dollars travelling to and from other parts of the world, just for the purpose of leisure.

I still need to work on relaxing and enjoying myself. I have begun much more to actively appreciate what God has given me, but there is always more to do. Please pray that I keep my eyes on God, and not getting frustrated that I don't get to spend more time simply enjoying his creation.

Music

There always seem to be a song lyric to define a mood, it is part of the whole nature of music promotion that will seek to connect with those most likely to buy their stuff, reflecting where they feel their life is going. (It doesn't fit the mood of many songs from an earlier era - but it fits things more appropriate now).

Elsewhere on the internet a commenter suggested a certain song to define my mood. I'm not sure it fit exactly, I know it fit how I felt months ago, but it doesn't always stay stable.

But in the end, I think I am concerned about something. In the endless ways in which music tries to fit our moods in the stories, there is a danger that we go to music to define and understand what we feel rather than God.

An appropriate feeling in all our circumstances relies so much more on our trust in God than on how our youthful angst is reflected in music.

Some examples of Scripture (from the ESV) are as follows:

"Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD." (Job 1:21)

I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:10-13)

As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life. (1 Timothy 6:17-19)

Thankyou for Smoking

Went to the movies tonight. Was slightly strange to sit there on my own and just absorb it all, but it was nice to be able to go and think through things without too many pressures.

It was interesting considering what people do to pay their mortgage and what people justify in the name of choice and freedom.

Of course the movie showed the moral dilemmas held as you think through lots of ethical issues, but what perhaps struck me most was how driven he was by his career to the exclusion of everything else.

I don't want to be that caught up in work, but it can be easy to get that way. Sometimes the work you do can be exciting. The challenges of it all may make you get a buzz out of what you do each day.

I guess this was a good option for a metrogaine win celebration. But at the same time the whole experience tonight almost serves as a parable of the way life has developed since Anzac Day.

For some reason I get most satisfaction out of stretching myself all the time, and coming out better for it; but at the same time, it is hard to appreciate the results without a group situation, and a group to celebrate with.

Semi-Private

I think you need to be a blogger to get in here now... Weird huh...

Anyways, I have had some interesting thoughts about various things these past few days.

The world has had a nuclear test in North Korea, and a major merger of online companies.

Google and Youtube have combined... Should make for interesting changes.

Anyways, I might see how this user only thing works for a while... (and whether it does), and then keep posting some more randomised thoughts.