From the people who brought you the “Treadmill” video!  Enjoy.

It looks like the ridiculous right turn rule in New Zealand is going to change.  We’re the only country in the world that uses it and it causes so much confusion.

So… well done to the government for at last starting to look at it.

Next on the agenda should be the introduction of a left turn on red rule.  It works well elsewhere and helps the flow of traffic.

Note to my American and European friends – We drive on the left hand side of the road over here.  So a left turn on red would be our equivalent to your right turn on red rule.

A couple of things have happened lately that have really bugged me.

Unwanted E-Mail Subscription

I was phoned by an evangelist I know touting his latest study which consisted of a 21 part DVD series along with a massive study guide to go with it.

Out of respect for him I ordered one set at a not insubstantial cost and said I would give it a try out with my own small group.

Unfortunately this evangelist took this to also mean he could put me on his e-mail newsletter list which is really just a sales pitch each time the e-mail arrives.  I didn’t want to be on it, I wouldn’t have asked to be on it and even worse, there is no unsubscribe link.

Targeting of Congregation Members

Our demonination is starting up a new plant in a suburb not too far from us.

We’ve been advised by some of our congregation members that they have been invited by way of a written invitation to the launch.

Now it actually makes sense that some of these people should be invited because they live close to where the new plant is opening but it seems to me it would be only good manners to contact their current church leadership to give them a heads up first.

What Should My Response Be

As a Christian, how should I respond to such things?  Should I:

• ignore things like this?
• react against them?
• discuss them (in love)?
• or should I just blog it as a venting mechanism and then move on?

I have just read easily the best response I’ve seen to Tiger Woods recent apology.

Michael Hyatt has published a blog article (please go to his site and make your comments there) and he’s taken a different perspective that I think we should all contemplate.

I’m publishing this here as well as retweeting Michael ’s blog as many of my readers do not use twitter yet I feel this is something that is important for people to read.

Michael’s five point that he comes out with are (and once again it’s important to go to his site to read them because he has dealt with them much more fully):

1. Resist the temptation to judge.
2. Accept the apology at face value.
3. Believe in the possibility of change.
4. Extend mercy and grace.
5. Pray for transformation.

Yesterday, a member of our congregation passed away suddenly.

Today, it would appear the body of a 15-year-old girl who has been missing for four days was found in Wellington Harbour.  Although not a member of our congregation many of our youth knew her through school and other common interest groups.

Sometimes life really sucks.  So this afternoon I went to YouTube to look for a specific song to listen to.The song is "It Is Well with My Soul" and here is a YouTube version.  It helped me and I pray it helps you also.  I’ve also included some history about the song as well as its lyrics below.

The song was written in 1873 by Horatio G Spafford.  Here is the story behind the writing of it:

Text Author and Hymn-Writer Horatio G. Spafford
Spafford was born on October 20, 1828 in North Troy, New York. He was a successful lawyer in Chicago who maintained a keen interest in Christian activities, deeply spiritual and devoted to the scriptures.

Chicago Fire and a Son’s Loss
Sometime in 1871, a fire in Chicago heavily devastated the city, and months before that , Spafford had invested hugely in real estate by the shore of Lake Michigan. The disaster greatly wiped out his holdings. Before the fire, Spafford also experienced the loss of his son.

Calm Before Spafford’s Worst Life Storm
Two years after the fire, Horatio Spafford planned a trip to Europe for him and his family. He wanted a rest for his wife and four daughters, and also to assist Moody and Sankey in one of their evangelistic campaigns in Great Britain. He was not meant to travel with his family. The day in November they were due to depart, Spafford had a last minute business transaction and had to stay behind in Chicago. Nevertheless, he still sent his wife and four daughters to travel as scheduled on the S.S. Ville du Havre, expecting to follow in a few days. On November 22, the ship laden with his wife and daughters was struck by the Lockhearn, an English vessel, and sank in few minutes.

Spafford’s Wife "Saved Alone"
After the survivors were finally landed somewhere at Cardiff, Wales, Spafford’s wife cabled her husband with two simple words, "Saved alone." Shortly after, Spafford left by ship on his way where his beloved four daughters had drowned, and pen at hand, wrote this most poignant text so significantly descriptive of his own personal grief – "When sorrows like sea billows roll…" The hymn "It is Well with My Soul" was born.

It is Well with My Soul
It is noteworthy that Horatio Spafford did not dwell on the theme of life’s sorrows and trials, instead, focused in the third stanza on the redemptive work of Christ, and in the fourth verse, anticipates His glorious second coming.

Lyrics

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Refrain:
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul!

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

Published by Thomas Nelson.

Reviewed by my wonderful wife Raewyn!

It’s been a long time since I picked up a book and got so engrossed that I couldn’t put it down.  Most books I read follow the same format, I read a couple of chapters until I get a handle on the main characters and then I flick to the back to see how it finishes.  I tried to do the same thing with this book, but it revealed so little … the story was so wonderfully written.  The story unpacked itself along the way, and it was how it did that captured and held my interest.

Eva Longoria Parker’s comment on the back of the book, "Beautifully real characters" is so true.  It was easy to find yourself really connected … to see the story as more than just words on the page.  I could easily imagine the exchanges described in the book really happening.

We all have hurts in our lives, which is why I guess it was easy to identify with the main character, Jade.  Some of us, like Jade, search for the key to peace and healing from those hurts.  Some of us try locking them away "letting the past stay in the past" as had been her motto.  But as with real life there’s no real peace in that … no real closure … and this book shares a wonderful journey towards the only place where we can achieve true peace and closure.

I feel that my review, doesn’t really do justice to what a great story I thought this was … Definitely a 5 Star book.

Derailed: Five Lessons Learned from Catastrophic Failures of Leadership
Author: Tim Irwin
Publisher: NelsonFree

I was genuinely excited when I saw “Derailed” on the list of books I could get from BookSneeze to read, review and blog about.  Unfortunately it’s a book that produces high expectations but ultimately fails to deliver.

The concept of this book is sound.  Look at the derailment of some very high profile people and draw conclusions on how derailment happens to highly competent people based on any common denominators he could find.  The chapters and stories told about the derailment of Robert Nardelli, Carly Fiorina, Durk Jager, Steve Heyer, Frank Raines, and Dick Fuld were well told and very entertaining.

The problem is entertainment doesn’t make for an in-depth critique of what really went wrong.  It also tends to mean that the examples are looked at with less then objective eyes.  In this case it really did appear that the writer knew what he was looking for and highlighted pretty much only those things that fitted the outcome he wanted.

The second half of the book is basically about general platitudes on leadership.  No one could argue with what he is saying but he takes far too many words to say it.

Michael Hyatt of Thomas Nelson, the publishers of this book has stated in a blog post that one shouldn’t be scared to stop reading a book partway through if it isn’t interesting enough.  This would have happened was this book had it not been for the fact that as I promised to read it fully to write the review (ironically for Thomas Nelson’s BookSneeze).

On the positive side it did remind me, as do many books, to look at the flaws in my character that could derail me.  So it certainly wasn’t a complete waste of time!

Unfortunately I can only give this one a rating of two stars.

A video of John Key has been found where he states:

"National is not going to be raising GST.  National wants to cut taxes not to raise taxes."

To be fair to John the actual question was:

"… GST could potentially rise to 15% to cover deficits…"

and what the government is doing now is more related to an overall correction of tax anomalies rather than any effort to raise new revenue (at least as far as the GST is concerned).

But it does show that politicians have to be really careful about making definitive statements on the campaign trail.

This is about name suppression in New Zealand.  In case you haven’t heard a District Court Judge has ordered permanent name suppression for a prominent Manawatu man who had 300,000 pornographic images (including child pornography) on his computer.

The judge said:

“The punitive consequences are more extensive for you than for others, particularly in light of your position, your achievements and the consequential outcome.”

and that:

“…publication of the man’s identity was not required because none of the thousands of children pictured were New Zealanders.”

The Manawatu Standard and even David Farrar (Kiwiblog) have slammed the decision.

And, unsurprisingly, Cam Slater (aka Whale Oil Beef Hooked) has come out swinging.  He is, after all on a personal crusade against name suppression and has been willing to risk his freedom by using the methods he’s used.

But Can oversteps the mark when he takes personal pot shots at the judge.

“… this is NOT the first time that Judge Grant Fraser has meddled with the intent of the law. A quick Google reveals a crim hugging, liberal menace to the people of the Manawatu.”

Come on Cam.  You must know that nobody is that stupid… not even a judge!  Clearly Judge Fraser is on your side.  He knows that giving name suppression in this case must force the Government’s hand and new law on name suppression will be rushed through parliament – possibly even before you can get yourself in yet more trouble!  (OK – That’s unlikely, but soon nonetheless.)

With due acknowledgment to David Letterman and “The Late Show” here’s Pastor Paul’s top ten ways to lie (or things to watch for when you think someone might not be telling the truth).

10.  Choose a really simple lie, one that you can remember because otherwise you’ll contradict it yourself at some stage.

9.  Blame someone else, and if that fails, blame the dog.

8.  Change the subject.  (Hat tip – all politicians)

7.  Repeat this phrase, “I don’t remember.”

6.  Look the person directly in the eye when lying.

5.  Say nothing – ever.

4.  Flatly deny everything no matter what proof is forthcoming.

3.  Deny everything and claim it is all a media beat up. (Hat tip – Winston Peters)

2.  Admit to just a fraction of the lie; something you can take the heat on.

And the number 1 way to lie is…

1.  Tell the whole truth but in such a way that nobody will believe you! 

Photo credit: wwworks