Wednesday, January 31, 2007

"I can't quite put my finger on it" (or why I'm looking forward to a bodily resurrection)

I've been a bit busy over the last few weeks, so busy that it has curtailed my frequent blogging. They have been a few reasons for this, which are:

1. I finally moved. After 20 + years living in the same house with the same family (my own) in scenic Katoomba, I am now living on my own in Hurlstone Park, Sydney. It's a nice place, on the Cooks River (aka Cooks Sewer), and is close to church, Alison and Uni. Moving has been a fascinating experience, particularly with many people gracefully making the move easier by giving me book shelves, dinner sets, fridges and so forth. This has given me a great opportunity to reflect on our Lord, who came no to be served but to serve and gave his life as a ransom for many.

2. Getting engaged. Finally. After several months of planning, Alison and I announced our engagement last week, with great relief. And many months of possibly stressful planning ahead of us, it is nice to finally stop and think about what marriage is. What does loving your wife look like? How much did Christ love the church? I guess I kind of know these answers, but it is and will be helpful to keep reflecting on them this year.

3. I chopped my finger off last night. I was making a fold-out bed last night when it collapsed, crushing my left index finger under the bed and severing the tip of my finger. After 4 injections, working out that I'd lost a bit of bone, 7 stitches with the drugs not working, and losing a fair bit of blood, I had a skin graft on my finger which has a 50/50 success rate and leaves my finger almost at normal length. Which gives all the more to look forward to in the bodily resurrection of dead, when evil is judged, the world is renewed and transformed, the body will be raised incorruptible, and every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Come, Lord Jesus.

10 points for naming picture and artist.

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Charles I - Martyr or Tyrant

January 30, the anniversary of the execution of Charles I of England, Ireland, (Alba) Scotland (and France). A feast day in the Anglican communion, he was hailed as a saint and martyr throughout the English speaking world until the Victorian era, when the special "Feast of Charles I" homily and morning/evening prayer was removed from the BCP. Charles is the only person to have been canonized by the Church of England since the reformation.

But do you agree with the Carolingian Restoration propaganda? Or do you agree with the puritans accusation of him as a tyrant? Let me know.

Here are some of favourite Carolingian pictures:






Monday, January 22, 2007