- One thing I asked of the Lord (28 Feb 10)
Today my birthday falls on a Sunday. What a joy it was that Psalm 27 was sung this morning as the psalm of the day:One thing I asked of the ...
- Five ways of happiness (21 Feb 10)
Tal Ben-Shahar Lecturer in Psychology from Harvard University has made a study of the sources of happiness. On Big Think he gives several practical happiness tips. ...
- Nietzschean tips for insomnia (11 Feb 10)
I know there are problems (especially for Christians) with Nietzsche's Übermensch leading to the 'death of God' in Thus spoke Zarathustra but amidst the philosophising there are some practical tips ...
- Helping Haiti (15 Jan 10)
The massive earthquake that struck the the Caribbean nation of Haiti on 13 January 2010 killed around 100 000 people and hugely destroyed infrastructure such as hospitals and roads. Possibly ...
- The freest day of the year (26 Dec 09)
Kate Holmquist of the Irish Times knows what St Stephen's Day/Boxing Day should truly be about.December 26th — if you have the day off —is the one day in the ...
- On not travelling at Christmas (24 Dec 09)
"Don't blame the system for winter travel chaos. Stay put. Hypermobility is now the opium of the people an obsession that wrecks communities and planet. There are no free trips." ...
- A derailed Christmas (23 Dec 09)
It's hard to believe that I have experienced more than sixty Christmases. Many were at home with my parents brother and sister—and good fun too. More recently there have my ...
- Choice and the no less perfect (01 Nov 09)
I am glad that the Revd Dr Giles Fraser has continued write for Church Times since his move to be Canon Chancellor of St Paul's Cathedral and Director of the ...
- Pornography, Communism and non-orthodox Islam (01 Nov 09)
News reports say that Malaysian authorities have confiscated more than 15 000 Bibles in recent months because they referred to "God" as "Allah " a translation that has been banned ...
- We don't play for sheep stations (17 Oct 09)
James and I often enjoy a game or two of backgammon after dinner keeping count of the games in a little notebook. He is a much better (or luckier) player ...
- The speed myth (17 Oct 09)
Myths about working for the government notwithstanding my colleagues and I work hard and work smart. What I increasingly resent and find difficult however are the ludicrous deadlines for much ...
- Banned Books Week and China's 60th (01 Oct 09)
Amnesty International has been marking Banned Books Week directing attention to the plight of individuals who are persecuted because of the writings that they produce circulate or read. While the ...
- Sabbath rest or salvation-by-shopping? (05 Aug 09)
I value the Sabbath principle. By which I mean not Sabbatarianism but simply the discipline of regular rest quiet and retreat from the daily round. Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks Chief ...
- Aelred in wonderland (05 Aug 09)
In "Alice's addiction in Cyberland" (Eureka Street 27 Jul 09) Adam McKenna worries about addiction to Second Life (SL) describing it not as an MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing ...
- We work too much? (05 Aug 09)
It's official Australians work too much—or rather rest and play too little. The Federal Government began a campaign in April "No Leave No Life" to encourage people to convert their ...
- Ariel Michelle Doyle, born 2nd July 2009 (02 Aug 09)
This is Ariel Michelle Doyle born 2nd July 2009 daughter of Tracy and Marty Doyle and my great niece. Tracy sent me some pictures today. Isn't she a delight? Marty ...
- June remembered (01 Aug 09)
Today is the fifth anniversary of the death of my mother June Norton McKinlay on 2 August 2004. This is from a picture my father gave me not long after. ...
- Uncluttered freedom (21 Jul 09)
A favourite book is Basil Pennington's Engaging the World with Merton: on retreat in Tom's hermitage first published in 1988. This passage is an admonishment to me:Of course we can't ...
- Watching the landing (16 Jul 09)
The 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing has many of us who are old enough remembering where we were at 02:56:15 UTC on 21 July 1969 when Neil Armstrong ...
- H1N1 : bad news and good news (14 Jul 09)
The are now considerable numbers of people in Australia with swine flu. There have been 29 deaths and some thousands infected. It seems that we cannot relax yet. A study ...
- What's the worth? (10 Jun 09)
Good Work of Praise Strange Lord who would rule your creation through the crucified Son of a carpenter make us workers in your kingdom. We want to work but so ...
- Spiritual health and the dogs of Internet war (02 May 09)
"Cry 'havoc' and let slip the blogs of war. Because that’s what it feels like a war." Thus Ruth Gledhill decries (23 Apr 09) blogs where authors and commenters sip ...
- Song by hearselight (07 Apr 09)
James and I were blessed by a service of Tenebrae at All Saints Ainslie last night sung excellently by members of Igitur Nos. I learned that a hearse is one ...
- No more roast lamb or steaks for me! (20 Feb 09)
It seems that I have haemochromatosis. It's a genetic disorder causing the body to absorb an excessive amount of iron from food. The excess iron is deposited in various joints ...
- Australian bushfire strategy in ruins? (10 Feb 09)
I find it hard to comprehend that so many people should have died in the Victorian bushfires this week. Property damage is nearly inevitable but surely the human carnage is ...
- Fearsome fire (08 Feb 09)
Amid the death and destruction the sheer size speed and power of bush fires can be fearsome as shown in these pictures by The Age of the Victorian fires. ...
- Richard John Holland 1919-2008 (03 Feb 09)
I have only now learned of the death of Richard Holland in May last year at the age of 89. He was founder and senior minister of the Waverley Christian ...
- Tteokkuk and yakwa on new year's day (26 Jan 09)
As well as being Australia Day yesterday (26 Jan.) was the lunar new year. (Not "Chinese" new year but Korean Mongolian. etc. as well.)(sae hae bok manhi badeseyo)In Korean this ...
- Late and long hours (12 Jan 09)
The Federal Government has acknowledged that its reform agenda had increased public servants' workload yet it continues to do nothing in response except to reduce funding and staffing. I support ...
- The great Christmas conflagration (03 Jan 09)
'Twas two nights before Christmas and soon at our place nine guests were arriving each ready for Grace with pot-luck to follow all shared face-to-face. The cook was quite ready ...
- Statio, interruption, and the always hectic (01 Jan 09)
Tomorrow it's back to work after the Christmas break. In the midst of an usually-too-hectic work life this is a favourite story I tell my colleagues:While visiting the University of ...
- Canberra and Goulburn's bishop (02 Nov 08)
Postscript: It's stated here that here that the Most Revd Dr Peter Jensen Archbishop of Sydney and Metropolitan of New South Wales will officiate at the consecration of the Revd ...
- It leaves a hole (18 Oct 08)
As I was thinking about Rob's death a friend showed me this:Death is outside life but it alters it: it leaves a hole in the fabric of things which those ...
- Rob Lamerton died peacefully this morning (16 Oct 08)
Burdened by cancer our much loved rector of St. Philip's the Reverend Rob Lamerton died peacefully this morning Friday at about 3am at Clare Holland House in Canberra. His wife ...
- Martti Ahtisaari, peacmaker (15 Oct 08)
Until a couple of days ago how many would have recognised the name Martti Ahtisaari? Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. -- ...
- Hogan offers hope (03 Oct 08)
Thank God that among some good ministerial appointments South Africa's new president Mr Kgalema Motlanthe has appointed Ms Barbara Hogan.as health minister in place of Ms Manto Tshabalala-Msimang who embraced ...
- Canberra a tolerant city (29 Sep 08)
It's disappointing to read that research by Professor Kevin Dunn and the Anti-Racism Research Project of the University of Western Sydney indicates that 1 in 10 Australians outwardly 'racist'. The ...
- Birthplace victory (27 Sep 08)
The Hawthorn Hawks (18.7.115) defeated the minor premiers the Geelong Cats (11.23.89) in a remarkable and unexpected premiership triumph before a crowd of 100 012 at the MCG to secure ...
- Colonoscopy may save your life (26 Sep 08)
The life of a dear friend of mine is in danger from colon cancer. My family has a history of long life but it is internal cancer that has been ...
- We keep praying for rain (25 Sep 08)
About this time of year Canberra's people begin to think nervously about what the summer will bring in the way of water supply. At 50.2% the city's water storages are ...
- Miseries with flair (23 Sep 08)
Lord I'm tired of being ill all the time sick of minor but exhausting ailments and sick of feeling weak after every effort to accomplish something. I am tired of ...
- Adult interpretations of children (17 Sep 08)
One of my roles is to help church people to be aware of how to ensure safe ministry to children. Thus I have long been concerned at the increasingly inappropriate ...
- Please say that again (24 Aug 08)
Hearing Awareness Week (24–30 August) aims to raise community awareness of hearing impairment and ways to protect your hearing. Gillian Bouras has written a superb piece in Eureka Street (25 ...
- Left to grace (01 Aug 08)
Today 2 August is the fourth anniversary of the death of my mother June. Whatever is foreseen in joy Must be lived out from day to day. Vision held open ...
- Coffee, closure, Canberra and caffeine (30 Jul 08)
In Australia the problem for Starbuck's has not been a weak economy but weak coffee. In the The Guardian (30 Jul 08) expatriate Australian Brigid Delaney applauds the closure of ...
- Grace and peace to you (12 Jul 08)
Al Hsu writes about his collection of autographed books and the many differing inscriptions the authors use. His favourite was inscribed by Michael Card who used the apostle Paul's expression: ...
- Sexuality in the brain (20 Jun 08)
A question for scientists is whether there are differences in the brains of gay men that relate to things other than sexual preference. A recent Swedish study is receiving much ...
- Queer concrete (09 Jun 08)
On 27 May 2008 German politicians dedicated a memorial in Berlin to the tens of thousands of homosexuals persecuted during the Nazi regime. Seventy-five years ago Nazis launched a series ...
- Snakes and stones (29 May 08)
Australia has a deserved reputation of being home to numerous venomous biting and stinging creatures. Since spending my primary school years in the Stony Rises a part of Western ...
- The kaizen of habit (24 May 08)
Janet Rae-Dupree writes in NYT (4 May 08) that researchers have discovered that when we consciously develop new habits we create parallel synaptic paths and even entirely new brain cells ...
- Rice is nice, if you can afford it (18 May 08)
A couple of days ago James and I paid $45 for a 25kg bag of rice that less than a year ago would have cost $26. Even we in Australia ...
- Owen Dowling 1934-2008 (16 May 08)
Feeling funny Having long ago lost social shyness and as an enjoyer of eye contact it is strange and ironic that now when I see faces in the exit ...
- A outspoken present (12 Apr 08)
On my birthday a few weeks ago a generous friend gave me a full set of DVD's of the whole of The West Wing; hundreds of hours of superb viewing. ...
- Good news hand written (05 Apr 08)
Like cold water to a thirsty soul so is good news from a far country. (Proverbs 25.25) How delightful to receive from far away friends not an email but a ...
- Sandra's Passover Lamb (21 Mar 08)
Each year my local church celebrates Maundy Thursday with a passover-style meal foot-washing the eucharist and the stripping of the sanctuary. Some feel that this is not an authentic Christian ...
- Professor Peter Wray Cullen AO FTSE (14 Mar 08)
I am saddened by the death in Canberra yesterday of one of Australia's most eminent scientists Professor Peter Wray Cullen AO who collapsed at his home in Gunning NSW last ...
- 21,915th (28 Feb 08)
Today I am 21 915 days old which I am given to understand means that it is my 60th birthday. James commemorated this by presenting me with a lovely poem ...
- Sorry. (12 Feb 08)
These are the words of the apology to the stolen generations that the Prime Minister will propose to the new Parliament as its first order of business this morning. ...
- Different? (21 Jan 08)
In Time (17 Jan. 08) John Cloud writes about the end of his 7 1⁄2 year relationship with his former partner and asks "Are Gay Relationships Different?" An interesting question. ...
- Second Life is human life (17 Jan 08)
Mostly through curiosity I have been experimenting with Second Life. It's surprising how psychologically engaging it can become quite quickly. My appreciation of this is reinforced by a 5 Apr ...
- The feast day of St. Aelred of Rievaulx (13 Jan 08)
Today is January 12 the feast day of St. Aelred of Rievaulx. Highly regarded as one of the most loving and most beloved of historical Christian figures Aelred was deeply ...
- Andrew, Advent and AIDS (01 Dec 07)
30 November just gone was the feast day of Andrew the Apostle a day for me to remember and honour my Scottish heritage as Andrew is of course the patron ...
- Rain of Christ (27 Nov 07)
In last Sunday's Messiah rehearsal we sang ". . . and he shall reign for ever and ever." It was fitting as that day was the feast of Christ the ...
- Ailments north and south (20 Nov 07)
I needed to do a medical inventory recently. Well . . . from the top down there's high frequency tinnitus and high frequency hearing loss keratoconus (one eye) presbyopia and ...
- Fair indeed (12 Nov 07)
St. Philip's Community Fair last Saturday was great fun and a good success. A crowd of people enjoyed food drink and each other's company--as well as live music from CAMRA. ...
- We pray for Burma (23 Oct 07)
Before traveling to Goulburn for worship in the Cathedral on Sunday Australia's General Synod joined in the 21 October National Day of Prayer for Burma. The General Synod resolved to ...
- A sin to be boring (15 Oct 07)
Browsing around I came across this piece by John Elder in The Age of 27 Mar 05 about a Good Friday service at City Life Church in Wantirna South in ...
- I meet the Women in Black (05 Oct 07)
This is my friend the Revd Linda Anchell who is a deacon our parish and with her husband Fred a strong advocate for justice peace and environmentally sustainable living. (In ...
- Boy in space (05 Oct 07)
A few days ago was the 50th anniversary of the launch by the Soviet Union on 4 Oct 1957 of Sputnik 1 Earth's first orbiting artificial satellite. I was nine ...
- God's own self is present (01 Oct 07)
Hymns have a way of catching one unawares. On my recent holiday I slowly read through M. Basil Pennington's Engaging the World with Merton: on retreat in Tom's hermitage (Paraclete: ...
- Untied (29 Sep 07)
On our recent holiday James and I splurged on some casual clothes--jeans and shirts mostly nothing outrageous. Some time ago I looked at Gianni Versace's book Men Without Ties which ...
- I don't recall thanking him (29 Sep 07)
A friend shared this poem with me recently "Those Winter Sundays" written in 1962 by Robert E. Hayden (1913-1980). It speaks strongly to me of the love and care of ...
- Holidays at last (07 Sep 07)
There won't be any postings from me for a while; on Tuesday James and I leave for a few days much needed holiday here. ...
- On being an emotional energy miser (04 Sep 07)
Some wisdom from Ruth Ostrow (Weekend Australian Magazine 1-2 Sep 07 p. 10)The other day I decided not to take on a project that I'd been offered. It was a ...
- Fatherly (03 Sep 07)
Last Sunday was Father's Day in Australia. Our church St. Philip's made this a "men and boys" day. We included men who give fatherly love and care to others if ...
- The moon and wisdom (30 Aug 07)
The lunar eclipse on Tuesday evening coincided with a pot-luck dinner party of a group of friends at our place. Throughout the dinner we kept stepping out into the winter-cold ...
- A neighbour burned (09 Aug 07)
Arson has severely damaged our nearby Roman Catholic church St. Joseph's O'Connor and largely destroyed the adjoining the parish centre -- perhaps $3 million in damage. Bishop Pat Power said ...
- Will the Bishop in Iran speak out? (08 Aug 07)
The installation of a new Anglican Bishop in Iran is a happy occasion (ACNS 6 Aug 07). Yet the Iran authorities continue floggings and executions of minors and homosexuals and ...
- Dr May (29 Jul 07)
At the age of 60 Brian May CBE formerly lead guitarist of rock band Queen is close to completing work for a doctorate in astrophysics -- more than 35 years ...
- Celebrating James (25 Jul 07)
The 25th July is St. James day a patron saint of the Spaniards and Galicia in particulalar. The old Chambers Book of days says that according to legend James ...
- 50 years, 50s style (20 Jul 07)
On Sunday 6 May 07 St. Philip's Church celebrated the 50th anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone it buildings the Rt Revd EH Burgmann then Bishop of Canberra ...
- An honoured pastor and uncle in God (16 Jul 07)
A National Day of Thanksgiving on 26 May 2007 thanked God for our heritage and offered honour respect and gratitude toward others. Acknowledged by the Governor-General the Prime Minister and ...
- Honoured friends (12 Jul 07)
I am honoured to call the bishop of Canberra and Goulburn the Rt Revd George Browning a friend. At the recent graduation ceremony of the Charles Sturt University School of ...
- Liberty and the pursuit (04 Jul 07)
Greetings to my American friends! As I was driving to work this morning ABC Classic FM reminded me that it is July 4th by playing Sousa's Presidential Polonaise (Cincinnati Pops ...
- Every drop welcomed (26 Jun 07)
We Canberrans are preoccupied with the rain. Every drop is welcomed and every cloud is inspected for its wateriness. This afternoon the radar shows clouds heading out to sea after ...
- The wood and the trees (26 Jun 07)
As to the Government's recent moves to try to end abuse of children in remote Aboriginal communities I entriely agree with the Australian Financial Review in its Editorial of 25 Jun 07Bold ...
- Weighting for it (21 Jun 07)
These are my bathroom scales. They have story to tell. This is the story.So far so good. Only 9 more kilograms to go. Perhaps Aussiebum model Andreas Lundin may inspire ...
- Autumn blooms (18 Jun 07)
May was the warmest ever recorded -- not because of the day time temperatures but because the overnight lows were much higher than usual. So the garden plants are utterly ...
- Smoke free (30 May 07)
31 May 2007 would have been the 85th birthday of my mother June. It is also WHO's World No Tobacco Day. She smoked only a little and quit towards the ...
- Amnesty and abortion (30 May 07)
There's been a lot in the press about Amnesty International's revision of its policy on abortion. In The Age 28 May 07 for example Barney Zwartz says that "Amnesty in ...
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