The Barney Rustle Blanket

    This week I created a huge mess inside my work satchel/messenger bag! The Crumpler 'Barney Rustle Blanket' had a handful of gold foil wrapped chocolate coins I forgot about, from last Sunday, melted and disintegrated, leaving chocolate coated pens, laptop, newsletters and coins! I have had this 'lifetime guarantee' bag for more than 20 years! It's real! I have only busted some clips on it, caught in a door edge as I walked through or run over by an office chair! I have an iPad satchel one, a larger laptop bag and backpack, but the Barney Rustle has gone the long journey of mission and vocation, symbol of engaging in the neighbourhood, listening and taking stuff I need on the road!

   I emptied the bag and put it through the washing machine cycle, hung it out to dry and 'it's rarely looked better.' All the dusty dirt accumulated through use removed. A shiny red, blue and yellow bag ready for another 5+ years of active service!

'Not Taking Sides!"

Banksy

    The challenge of 'not taking sides!' Conflict in the Middle East (a sanitised description of ongoing war, oppression and wrong relationship) has been going on my entire life! How will claims to land, territory and existence ever be truly committed to, beyond the story within the Torah?

   Nothing, nothing says the missile attack from Hamas and the death of reported 1300 Israelis in a day is OK! However a decade or more of Palestinian children's deaths is clear provocation. The story of World Council of Churches or other 'accompaniers,' news reports and history show the settlement disruption in the region despite commitments made by Israel and then Hamas is a terrorist organisation (in the tradition of the PLO).

   "Free free Palestine!" is the cry of Palestinians living in diaspora here and elsewhere and it stretches way back beyond the events of recent weeks! I still recall the wonderful spirit and atmosphere at Hunter Stadium when a group of us deliberately chose to attend Palestine's game in the Asia Cup!

   I believe the task for Christians, people following in the way of Jesus (or let me be more specific) my task, is to 'not take sides.' This means there are times of sounding like speaking out for one over another as  the story and media coverage, commentary from politicians etc plays out! The early comments from PM Albanese and the lighting of the Sydney Opera House were in my opinion, over the top!!! It is possible to condemn missile attacks without sounding as if you have no idea why they occurred! 

   
Yet, it was certainly a moment of madness from Hamas. These things are amplified and made sound even more ridiculous when we hear about 'the rules of war.' 'At least we are civilised enough to rule out certain barbarity, while 'bombing the crap' out each other,' is a pretty low bar!!!

Lastly, its always easy to be an armchair expert and perhaps the simple message ought to be: 

'IT IS TIME FOR PEACE.'

The World Needs More Santas

 Coca Cola feature in Best Ads of the Week, capitalising on their own invention of Santa Claus in RED and WHITE! This one suggesting we can be Santa... maybe there's more than holding a train or opening the half closed shop shutter?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znIyaGS5BNc