by tashmcgill | Aug 22, 2005 | Uncategorized

Been And Seen
Wedding Crashers – I might well get slapped in the face now, admitting that I went to see this. I was given advice not to, and I chose not to listen and then wasted 2 hours on a comedy that was too long, and too unfunny. Oh, the pain. Let me admit that the advice-giver was correct, I was incorrect and yeah. I’ve learnt my lesson now.

Dracula – Going to the nosebleed section in the Civic is never a good idea when battling sinus congestion, and going to see a ballet that can’t decide if it wants to be a ballet or a production isn’t a great time either. It was beautiful, well-produced, exquisite use of stage and lights, costuming was great, but the company ballet scenes felt protracted and out of place in the context of such a twisting plot and large number of main roles to keep track of. It was a lovely night out though, in delightful company.

Other News
I laid relatively low in the weekend, apart from the gym on Saturday and Sunday, and church last night. Pet peeve… church notices that involve one or more of the following (item, dance, skit, video, comedy sketch) and then also require a powerpoint slide and a person to get up and explain the notice that’s just been displayed.

I’m getting the feeling that the drugs I was taking all weekend may be affecting my sunny disposition

by tashmcgill | Aug 21, 2005 | Uncategorized

These Are A Repeat..
I wrote these prayers more than a year ago, to a friend who was leaving. Now I say them to myself..

You will have peace about the outcome of your journey, even though it may feel that it is just beginning.
You will have confidence the journey began long ago, & confidence in the hands that have brought you here.
You will know the patience that comes from trusting in the Lord.
God will teach you all need to know about trusting in Him.
Scriptures will breathe and speak and sing to you, in cold and lonely places, dark spaces, light filled spaces.
Scriptures will encourage you, teach you to stand in awe in bright spaces, sad spaces, warm spaces.
Scriptures will guard your heart and mind from the harshness of other words, that might rob you of joy.
You will carry the warm flame of this family deep within you, in a safe and reachable place, always with you.
You will wake each day with eagerness for your daily tasks, contemplations, conversations, experiences.
You will be accompanied by worthy companions, worthy to teach you, learn from you, share with you.
You will unwrap layers of deep significance in safe places, into the safe hands of the Father.
You will experience the Fatherhood of God in revolutionary ways, that transform you.
You will be a son like you have never been before, and also a friend, a brother, a grandson.
You will remember the place that you have come from, internally and externally and take valuable lessons.
You will be changed and rearranged, refreshed and restored, to newness, oldness and innocence.
You will learn not to chastise yourself for what you see as weaknesses, they are God’s opportunities.
You will learn to love what God has made, complete in your imperfections.
The colours, sights, sounds and experiences you encounter will travel with you, transforming you, shaping you.
The inevitable moments of glory and humiliation will all in turn, push you towards the arms of God.
The deep Joy that resides in you, will find new expression & release amongst new friends & old to celebrate it.
The passion finds a place to live life wholeheartedly, savouring the moments and sensations.
The heart finds peace, and security, a place to belong and know as home.
The heart will be cared for, treasured and used to love well, even in the awkwardness of vulnerability.
The voice will find a place to be heard, the ears a comfortable place to listen.
The soul will be comforted with strength in times of famine, water in times of drought, love in times of trouble.
The soul will be anchored onto that deep foundation that keeps all things secure.
The questions will be answered, confusion clarified, deep soul searching given some climax of conclusion.
The mind that is open will stay open, willing to learn and to be challenged, strong on it’s convictions of Truth.

Ick To The Sitemeter
Sitemeters are both marvellous and hideous at the same time, because I really don’t want to know about the people who are looking for pictures of ‘chicks in thongs tash mcgill’. I find the thought of myself in one frightening enough, but to think that someone else might.. mega-ew. However, marvellous motivation for the gym, where I have been twice this weekend. Yay me.

by tashmcgill | Aug 19, 2005 | Uncategorized

Song Of The Moment : Overkill
Colin Hay

I can’t get to sleep
I think about the implications
Of diving in too deep
And possibly the complications

Day after day it reappears
Night after night my heartbeat shows the fear
Ghosts appear and fade away
Ghosts appear and fade away
Ghosts appear and fade away

Youth Team Mini-Golf
Compulsory fun teambuilding afternoon. We went for lunch, and played minigolf.

by tashmcgill | Aug 18, 2005 | Uncategorized

Election Time
So it’s election time at the moment, and I was reflecting in coversation with a friend the other day, how politics used to so crank my handle. I’m a real Isaiah 58 kinda girl.. justice, restoration and all that. I used to spend hours talking on the phone to my friends at night about social policy, health policy, education. I was about 14 or so, and boys weren’t really on the radar, it was just about politics. When I was about 7.. must have been just before Mum & Dad divorced, I wrote a letter to David Lange, the then Prime Minister, about how concerned I was for my future education if the teachers from my primary school continued to strike because of insufficient funding and low pay. He wrote back, which I always thought was cool.

Right now, two terms into a Labour-led coalition Government, I still am not convinced that MMP has produced a more effective means of governing a country. I’m constantly amazed by the number of people who still vote based on personality and popular opinion and were caught by surprise with the push through on the Prostitution Reform Bill and the Civil Unions Bill.

I shouldn’t be amazed. We live in a ridiculously media-controlled state. I mean, we de-regulated radio in the 60’s and 70’s, only to now live in a country where every major radio network takes it’s news feed from the one company. Where is independant media in this country? Those who read the NZ Herald as if it’s not ridiculously biased, are woefully unaware. At least the Sunday Star-Times offers a glimpse of independant editorial. It encourages me when opinion pieces in the same publication differ, after all, it suggests an editorial subjectiveness that the population ought to be pursuing and seeking out. Is it the same with our broadcast media? Well.. hard to say. I don’t pay enough attention to TV journalism, and I never worked in 100% talk format radio. But casual observation suggests the same, with the exception of student radio, that prides itself on the alternative streak, and doesn’t necessarily hold that much sway with popular opinion.. after all.. we listen to student radio to be entertained, not to have our minds expanded. Someone told me that once and I’m not sure if I disagree.

This time last year I was building up to going to the States, and I was there for the build-up to their election. US media is equally corrupt in terms of where they sit on a political spectrum, but at least that’s broadly known. Each network has a political alliance, quite often related to the family money trail, but after all, politics is a rich man’s game in the Senate. But, like I said, at least you know who’s sitting where and who’s influencing who, and pushing what bandwagon.

It feels like NZ’ers are so laidback that they genuinely don’t care if they’re being taken for a ride, and so consequently.. we wait with baited breath for National’s center-right tax cuts to be announced, to be usurped by Labour’s center-left tax cuts and all of a sudden, I’ve forgotten who the socialists and who the capitalists are. When an election campaign turns from self-promotion of well-grounded, thought out policies to electioneering on behalf of your preferred coalition partner.. ergh.

Why don’t we think? Why are so many people so nonchalant in regards to the future economic, social and long-term welfare of the nation? And Christians seem to be the worst .. after all. Our independant but blatantly pigeonholed as Christian thinktank and policy lobbyists are doing exactly the same thing as the political parties are… the message is clear “Don’t think that, think this”. Why not just teach people to think? So Christians rise stumbling to their feet in regards to moral or conscience issues.. but an election which will always be based around tax-cuts, health and education spending barely gets a rise out your average Joe Bloggs church-goer.

Church and State are independant after all, but are irrevocably intertwined, and there ought to be a responsibility to follow through with the weight of what democracy means. Maxim have put together an independant website called NZVotes. It’s worth a look, because it does have a broad spectrum view of the policies of each party, as well as snippets from each candidate on how they are likely to vote on conscience issues. So well done, Maxim, in that regard at least.

Anyway.. all that came from this link.. to a moderate little snippet from today’s paper. This opinion piece from the NZ Herald makes some good commentary on the plight of singles and childless couples who have worked hard to pay off student loans, in the face of all the current politicking around tax and student loans.

Ahh. Yay for voting time.

Unplug, Damn It.
Marko’s blog has become one of my favourite reads, I appreciate his insights, commentary and humour. His camping trips complete with big screen Xbox sound like a fabulous time. However, currently there is some blog-dust flying over what I thought was pretty harmless. It’s just reminded me that sometimes people can take all this stuff way too seriously, and it all seems to become a bit personal. So.. I’m going to unplug at some point today and just take a big deep breath.

by tashmcgill | Aug 18, 2005 | Uncategorized

Second Baptism
Up and down the country now, there are people laughing at my unfortunate mishap. And fair enough too, but only on the provision of sympathy for the head cold that is now pounding a beat on the inside of my temples. Nasal congestion is never fun. So tonight I will be sending myself to bed with a whiskey-cure. Flowers, sympathetic cards and company will be gratefully accepted.

Pool Safety Tips
These came by anonymous email yesterday; and I certainly appreciate the comedy.

1. Walk, don’t run. Running produces momentum that will send you further into the pool, ensuring it takes that much longer to get out, shivering and blue.

2. Remember to wear the appropriate clothing. Garments should be water-absorbant, heavy and difficult to remove. This ensures the most bone-chilling hypothermia.

3. Where possible, remain under competent supervision. This ensures that everybody will benefit from your tomfoolery; and your humiliation will spread rapidly.

Onto Other Things
I’m going to be heinously behind the times here, linking to this post by Dan Kimball. My brief time of observing and listening to Dan, left me with a warm and pleasant sensation in my belly. Here’s a man who’s growing, changing, shaping, listening and responding to God and the community around him. I was absolutely impressed by his humility, warmth, shyness and good nature. After all, sitting down with a group of Kiwi church tourists, isn’t always the kind of thing an introverted thinker likes to put on the calendar. Since returning home, I’ve enjoyed the reflections and reading of the books, (both of them).

Anyway.. a perusal is well worth the ten minutes you’ll spend there. I’m looking forward to returning to Vintage Faith sometime next year. Also.. I love the name of their Creative ThinkTank… the Palette team. Lots of yumminess in there.

Upcoming
Farewells to Sarah-Anne and the Radfords
Dracula : the Ballet on Saturday night
National Youth Consultation in Papamoa Aug 23-26
Speaking at Manukau Central Baptist youth camp in Hunua Aug 26-29
Worship at Te Atatu Union Aug 29
Jeremy Selfe’s 21st & Heather’s 40th Sep 3
Old Skool camp (music & hanging out) Sep 9-11
youth band camp = undecided
Carmel’s 21st = Oct 8th (?)
Foo Fighters = Nove 26th (for my birthday, somebody, please?)

On Scheduling Priority One
Some family time
Girls Weekend Away with Frances
Music Weekend.. songwriting must be given space