On the one hand, it is a really good way of sharing a key point (and it got re-tweeted a few times, so I’m thinking others tweeps thought it worthwhile too).

On the other hand, it’s hard to make sure I only tweet the point and don’t get caught up in a cool twittersation.  That’s me lacking discipline though, so I should probably stick with it and just learn the art of anti-distraction

So, the thing I tweeted that my Pastor said in last night’s service, now presented in more than 140 characters, was:

God is the source of our supply.  People (or the world) are channels.  If a channel closes, you need to remember that the source is still open.  Don’t get distracted by the channels opening and closing, focus on the source.

That’s fairly paraphrased but if I waited and listened back to the service (like Diane does many times a day as she edits it for TV), then it would never make it on here.

It’s really REALLY easy to lose focus of what’s important, particularly at the moment as the world slips into the worst financial crisis since the 1930s.  But, and using another pastorism from Harbourside, we have a financial Christ : so focus on Him for your supply, not where you’ve become accustomed to getting it from.

Really easy to type a few words about that…it’s a lot harder to actually do it.

So tell me – how do you feel about twittering during church?
or how do you feel about the source/channel analogy?
Go on then, comment on both if you must…

That doesn’t mean I do anything about them, but it does mean I can keep track of the hundreds that are piling up there when I don’t do anything about them.

Like what is happening right now…

One email I did do something about on Saturday was from Stickk.com.  These emails tell me one of five things :

1. I need to lodge a report on my own commitment progress (if this means nothing to you, head over to stickk.com and find out…).

2. One of my commitment partners/friends/fellow loons needs a nudge to lodge their report.

3. One of the above has lodged their own report, be it failure or success.

4. Someone has written on my commitment wall – usually telling me to get my butt into gear and report.  Or me making excuses.

5. Finally, it also congratulates or consoles me when I’ve made a report, depending which is appropriate.  Um, yeah, thanks stickk.com.

Anyway, this month, all was tracking nicely for my song (or rather, pile of songs…I always have lots on the go) when it all stopped to take part in some really fun stuff.  I also then forgot about some less fun stuff I needed to do for my church board meeting (I may have mentioned that before in today’s glut of posts).  Note: while it’s less fun, it does pay me cash, so I’m not complaining. Cash is useful. You heard it here first.

So, I get to the end of the month and my ambition has surpassed my reality.  But, as Mandy so astutely noted as she caught me out, I managed to fool stickk.com into letting me have success.  I feel so ashamed.  Please forgive me. 

No really, forgive me.

This is no longer a request.

Seriously, aren’t we all a little bit like this at times?  We get all feel-good about accountability with each other, but still manage to pull the wool over someone’s eyes (not everyone’s) about the reality.  It’s not exactly authentic is it, or imitating Jesus. Boo to me.

NB: I’m fine, btw, just snowed (oh the irony in an Australian summer), and I’ve also forgiven myself for this heinous lie.  Jesus has too.  You should now as well.

Oh, yeah, I’ve done the guilt-trip-on-my-readers bit already haven’t I…so next up is ”pour out the pity you feel for me in the comments”…it will give me more emails to do nothing about for another day or so.

We spoke a lot without really saying much.

Or did we…

This got me thinking about some discussions, blog posts, tweets and just stuff in general that have been floating around lately.  Don’t freak…it’s ok; I do that sometimes…

Authenticity refers to the truthfulness of origins, attributions, commitments, sincerity, devotion, and intentions.

This is taken from the header of Wikipedia’s summary on authenticity.  It barely touches the surface, but I don’t think it intends to go deep…there’s a lots of pages below to navigate.  But read the Bible first. And maybe this too.  I’ll stop with the reading links now.

It’s easy to hide behind the written word, it’s much harder on film.

Yes, I know there’s always the actor factor to consider, but I’m no actor, so what I see in those videos reflects more of the real me than you could ever get in my writing.  I think it creates a better connection than just having my words here in various fonts.

Of course, it may have the effect of completely alienating people too…but I’d rather have any illusions of who I may be shattered early in my (blogging) life.  I like me, and the me I am becoming, despite the occasional pain of the journey.  God is bigger than the pain, and how I deal with it determines whether I dive deeper into Him, or just stay dog-paddling on the surface of His immensity.

An unexpected side effect of all this is that I’m now examining every area of my life and minimising the possibility that someone might be getting the wrong impression of me.  Starting last night at our church pastoral leaders meeting, continuing today at work (speaking of which, it’s AGES since I did a ‘work’ post…), and ending…when I die I guess…!

I’m tired of the fascades I see so many around me wearing.  I want real.

Jesus is real : imitate Him

And yeah, more videos will follow…but for the moment, here’s us…

now…

real.

What do you mean you didn’t know we were Mogwai martians??