Brengle on Holiness

I must admit... my head is a bit of a muddle today! I'm keeping a head cold and sore throat at bay - just! - and I'm wading my way through a tough sermon and a few assignments.

I've got everything from definitions of missiology, the ins-and-outs of Liberation Theology, Christian Presence, Dialogue, Social Action and Evangelism ever present in my consciousness and to top it all off, I'm reading Samuel Logan Brengle's Helps to Holiness... mind blowing! I'm loving it.

I know that he would want nothing but to have the glory given back to God regarding how many he has helped on the journey but I'm just so stoked that he listened to God on these matters of the heart concerning holiness and got it all down on paper!

I also have to admit (it must be a day for confessions!) that my pastor and mentor put this book in my hand nearly five years ago and I shelved it somewhere - I can't even remember if I ever returned it or not! The copy I have in my hot little hands at present went for 50c at the last library sale - it would have to be my bargain of the year!

Some of what I'm reading is confirmation of what I've discovered on my journey but I'd be lying if I didn't say that he takes the truth and goes that step further with it.

I've been challenged as to whether my heart is truly consecrated and whether or not my faith has kept me from experiencing a deeper experience of the Holy Spirit. Hard to admit after being on this road for so long but it's not about pride, it's about going hard after God. There's a 'citadel wall', as Brengle describes, that I am scaling for the last time - I claim with boldness and in faith that "I am the Lord's! I am the Lord's!"

There'll be more on this to come I can assure you!

The Magic Flute

Just last week I was having a bit of a lament over the fact that I wouldn't be able to get to the opera this season but God is just sooooo good! Saturday morning, Pete rung and he just happened to be trying to give away 2 tickets to the opera that night. I was almost dumbstruck - not something that happens often I might add!!

So, within the hour, I had arranged Jen to come with me and by 6.30 that night we were making our merry way into town. It was a great night. One of Mozart's more unusual operas - it is in German as opposed to Italian (the international language of opera) and part of it was spoken/acted out in English. It took a bit of getting used to for me but I loved it all the same. Beautiful flute melodies whistling all the way through just as you would expect, and Papageno (the crazy bird looking creature to the right) was fantastic! Some of the other outfits cracked us up - a bit Madonna like but there's always room for artistic interpretation with Mozart!

Thankyou NZ Opera for a great night out!

Petonio

A few weeks back, Hudson and I had an afternoon trip to the pier at Petone. My camera was out and he was just in fine form - we had a blast!

He was so excited with everyone fishing off the wharf that all he talked about all the way home was that he wanted a fishing rod for his birthday and he wanted his mum and dad to take him fishing. This cracked me up immensely as I can't say that fishing off the wharf would be the first place I would look for either Jenny or Marcus on a sunny afternoon!!

Well, he wanted a crack at taking a photo as well - Hudson is never one to be left out of anything! - so here it is...

...and can I say - not bad for an amateur!

There's a budding photographer in there I tell you - and he's only 3yrs old!

And why the title of Petonio you may well ask? Well, on the way home, I spent the bulk of the time trying to get Hudson to translate the trip to 'the special bridge at the beach' into the 'pier' at 'Petone' and, well, Petonio was about as close as we got!!

Mozart

Thoroughly enjoyed the movie! Not everyone's 'cup-of-tea' so be warned. It was a pretty long documentary (just over 2 hours) on the life of Mozart from the age of about 4 through to his death.

The highlight was definitely the cinematography... just amazing! Throughout the movie you went to all the places Mozart lived, worked and played but those scenes were kept modern day which had a great effect - it avoided the fake by trying to reconstruct what might have been.

There were voice-overs used as parts of his letters were read, amazing pieces of artwork were shown and snippets of his music were performed. Every time they focused on a piece of music being performed, the shot was amazing. Sometimes you would only see the fingers on the keyboard, othertimes just the face of the different performers. Everything was extremely close-up which I just love! Aside from an incredibly hard to watch opera singer and an over-the-top swaying violinist who nearly gave me motion sickness, it was all hugely effective.

To top it all off, I had the cinema to myself. MYSELF!! It was great - only one miserably funny moment. In trying to choose a seat, I turned to the manager who was busy starting the film and asked which was the best seat in the house for sound (he prides himself on his sound system.. Dolby Surround Sound... tens of thousands of dollars... ra-ra!) only to be left to my own thoughts - not to mention choices - as I figured out (perhaps a little later than others might have) that he was behind a sound-proof piece of glass!! ...I suddenly had an acute sense of self as I sunk into my arm chair not to mention an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the empty cinema! Things we do eh?!

The Giant Muffin Tin

Weird I know but there are days when living in the Hutt Valley could be paralleled to living in a giant muffin tin!

We're nestled right up against the hills which can be breath-taking with the right sunset but even more so when a cold spell brings the snow... yesterday and today, the mountains were sprinkled in snow - making them look almost edible! My sympathy for all my fellow Aucklanders but the weather here has only left us with a few freezing nights followed by frosty mornings and enough power to keep the heater on full!...not that I'm skiting or anything!

...I'm about done with anything that resembles study this week (and it's only Wednesday!!) so am contemplating a movie at midday down at the Lighthouse Cinema tomorrow (study day). Lighthouse cinemas down here are like mini Lidos. You know, grab your latte and chocolate brownie as opposed to popcorn and coke - right up my alley!... for this week anyway!

In case you're wondering how that works for a poor student, well, the power bill came in under budget and so the prize for keeping within the budget is of course to blow the budget!

...and my movie of choice? In Search of Mozart - seeing as there's no way I can afford a ticket to see The Magic Flute while it's in town *sob! sob!...completely gutted*

Stay tuned for the review!!

My Psalm

I had a belated birthday wish come my way today and wrapped up in the sentiment was a little gem.

The gift-giver told me that Psalm 30 was 'my Psalm' and it made me smile. Not that we could ever really own a part of the Bible but I was intrigued, so I turned up and had a read. It's packed with meaning and not the easiest of the Psalms to interpret but I have decided that I'll commit the Psalm to some serious exegesis and find out what else God might say.

In the meantime, here's what I'm taking away from it:

Sing to the Lord, you saints of his;

praise his holy name.

For his anger lasts only a moment,

but his favour lasts a lifetime;
weeping may remain for a night,

but rejoicing comes in the morning.

Psalm 30:4-5

Just out of interest - what's your Psalm and what does it say to you today?... if you're further down the journey than me in terms of years, don't be shy - there are 150 chapters in Psalms!!