New blogger :: Tim Hein

An old Tabour College friend of mine has started to blog Time Hein.

You can check out his thoughts here

Flinders Ranges trip part 2

Our first couple of nights we stayed at Rawnsly station, a giant sheep station/caravan park. It was a dry windy cloudless stay. I think out of the 30-40 vechiles in the part, I could only count 2-3 2wd cars. Our site at dusk was beautiful though. The sun went down over Rawnly Bluff, and about 1/2 on hour latter the moon appeared. The colors were beautiful.

Rawnly station had a number of good walks. This one we took the kids along, a very dry creek bed. Which you could tell at times ran furiouly.

We moved from Ranwley to Wilpena pound. It had a bit of a Wilsons Prom feel to how things ran. Not as many 4wd's! Food was also a bit cheaper. This photo was taken above the look out of the historic homestead.

On the way home we stayed at Morgan, placed on the bend of the Murry where it heads south. For a small town, it was the most expensive caravan park of the trip. $37 bucks. But we were on the river and it was beautiful.

This waas a typical night time scene for us, the shelite lantern going.

We also stayed on the way back at Mildura. I had a craving for salmon, but couldn't find any! Mildura was hot even for April. It was also in Mildura, the first place on our travels where we found some decent coffee. Sumos, which also makes great salads. I hope that Sumos also come to Cowes one day!

 

 

The Story of Bill Gates the wealthy young man

Nathan Hobby who writes in "An Anabaptist in Perth" wrote the following; it is a perspective which resonates::

I find it easy to understand unbelief in terms of the rich young ruler who has kept the law, but will not give away his riches and follow Jesus. Of course, it’s not an issue of evidence or even belief at all; it’s an issue of commitment and sacrifice. If the reason most people were not Christians was because they were not willing to give up things and follow Jesus, then it would make sense to me. Jesus’ demands are huge; his path is narrow.

I suspect that the scales in Western Church have tipped at least the argument to me seems scuewed towards belief in a "blind faith" where a belivever has to overcome the miraculous such as the virgin birth, miricles, the resurection etc etc to be a believer.

During our holiday I had a conversation with a Christian who said that he didn't think you could be a Christian without belief in the resurection quoting Paul. My standard reply now is : I don't know and I don't think it matters.

You have to unpack belief; Do you belive the that the message behind the resurection is true? Yes I do, there is truth in the story and new life. Do I belive that they really happened. Truthfully I don't know.

Marcus Borg has a bit to say about this in his book "The heart of Christianity" CH2

Ulitmatley I don't think it matters because I agree with Nathan in the above quote. The Church has more to loose without 'commitment and sacrifice' compared to evidence based belief.

Nathan touched on Bill Gates in his blog, and I couldn't help but think of him. Comparisons between him and the biblical 'Rich young man' are hard not to make. (Mathew 16: 19-30)

I'm sure he would be an 'evidence' type of guy messing around with computers so much of his life. What he gives away is phenominal, and he gives it away in a smart way; you just have to listern to him on TED. I think his comitment is there.

But who can know the Heart....

 

Flinders Ranges trip

Here are a few photos of the Flinders Ranges trip is South Australia

This caught my eye, having breakfast stopping in Bendigo on the way through. A pumpkin growing in the middle of Bendigo note fountain in the background.

first night stop Kayoora national park, about 50km away from Ingelwood. Lots of big rocks for the girls to explore.

Toilet stop, one of many.

Second night Naracourte Caves national park.

The girls checking out the mega fauna at Naracourte caves. It was here I started noting the 4wd crowd.

Stopped off at the Barossa Valley for a few nights. The food at Maggie Beers Farm was enjoyed by all.

My cousins recommend us to stop here on the way to the Flinders, "best pies in the universe", would probably come close. Though be warned, the coffee is like dishwasher.

To be continued....

 

Lest we forget

At a Church where we are at the lower age of the spectrum, I often find veterans. For me it is a privillage talking to them; all there stories are different.

One Australian, fought in the pacific. His description of the war is said in fondness and mateship. His description of his first patrol was one of terror, but patrols after that were 'a bit of fun'.

Another veteran is a German, he was conscripted in his mid teens. Placed on an anti-aircraft gun and watched his friends explode beside him. His story is of horror.

Church is one of those places where peace and at times reconciliation can be found, a meeting place for all those who have experince war.

 

Brian McLaren, Naked Spirituality

 

Most of the time when Brian McLaren puts out a book, I usually end up reading it. It would seem I follow inadvertently topics in his books, which I am interested in at the time. For me they are not always a cracker of a book which I whizz through. Naked Spirituality was on of those books which was a bit of a drag. Not that it wasn't any good, I couldn't put my finger on it.



After 'A New kind of Christianity' which is one of those books which I would put in the 'cracker' camp. I thought that I would summaries the chapters in Naked Spirituality which you can see some where in this blog. It didn't last.

Overall the book is about 'Spirituality', the essence. I couldn't help but think during reading that if you striped the book of biblical references you could pass this on to a non-Christian, who was Spiritual. There is a lot for us to reflect upon for humanity and its spiritual attributes. I was particular interested in the times the book referred to those moments when God is there. In nature, in pain and suffering, in laughter. If anything the books strongest moments were McLaren's references to pain and suffering.



3.5/5