Stuff Michael Meeks is doing
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This is my (in)activity log. You might like to visit my employer
Novell which is an amazing company, and also
Dell who in days of yore provided me with a
free laptop for Gnome development / conferences.
Also if you have the time to read this sort of stuff you could enlighten
yourself by going to Unraveling Wittgenstein's net or if
you are feeling objectionable perhaps here.
Older items:
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2007: (
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legacy html
- Sunday; up earlyish, off to NCC - quite a good
sermon - a re-run of one by RT Kendall by Simon. A most
amusing anecdote: Thank God for unanswered prayer.
Kendall got a postcard from this girl, whom he once thought
was the most beautiful girl in the world. Happened to go to
meet her with his wife, many many years later - and was so
thankful for unanswered prayer.
- Quite an interesting set of points, about the
beggar near the gate called beautiful, who had not been
healed by Jesus, but was by Peter and John.
- Back home, bread and spread lunch, ( and
marmite twists ). Went for a run with the Girl.
- Home - chicken underway, massive blow-out,
showy roast dinner, lovely. Watched the dregs of the
'making of Shrek' etc. and listened to Gordon's third
sermon on
1 Corinthians 10:1-14.
- The 'Gordon scriptures' would say
God will provide a way out, so you don't have
to be tempted, or a way to avoid the test
altogether - but in fact, crucially God promises
a way out - so that you can stand up to the
temptation.
- The fad of 'Dumbing Down' has pretty
pernicious effects on our intellects - but when
you're encouraging a kid to play baseball, you don't
start by throwing the fastest ball possible that he
has no chance of hitting. Instead you underarm lob
at the bat - so that the nervous 5yr old has almost
no chance of missing. That way you get a baseball
addict [hmm.].
- Similarly, God doesn't give tests that
are beyond what we can bear; but dumbs down the test
so we can stand up to it, and overcome. We need to
see that many labour under trials that would be too
heavy for us.
- The other way God provides is not by
dumbing down the test, but by giving us strength.
- A little girl traumatised by a relations
death, tearfully asking Daddy not to die, since she
couldn't bear it - lovingly asked about going on the
train, Daddy would buy the ticket but would only give
it to her just before boarding. So God will provide
strength at the time of need for his children.
- Several useful, practical tips on
overcoming various temptations - the main thrust
being recognising they are conquerable, and
aggressive action to prune them back.
- Bed early.
In case it's not painfully obvious: the reflections reflected here are my
own; mine, all mine ! and don't reflect the views of Novell, The
Lithuanian Gov't or Arnold Schwarzenegger. It's also important to
realise that I'm not in on the Swedish Conspiracy.
Occasionally people ask for formal photos for conferences,
bio.
or fun.
Michael Meeks (michael.meeks@novell.com)
