Prisoner of War (pt. i)

I've recently been reading through my grandfather's POW camp journals from Stalag Luft III in Poland during WWII.

He was an Australian navigator, flying in Lancaster bombers from the 7th Squadron of the RAF's elite pathfinder group. They would fly at the front of the bomber squadron and drop flare-types of incendury bombs on German targets to light up the targets for the main bombing squad. He was shot down early in the war and placed in the fore-mentioned POW camp until the end of the war. You may have known Stalag Luft III (pictured right) since it was the POW camp where Tom, Dick and Harry were built - the Great Escape.

I thought I'd like to share just a few things from these journals which are simply amazing.

Here's an anonymous poem, recorded amongst many poems in one of the journals.

Kreigie's Lament

Here we are at Stalag Three,
drinking in the bar.
With lovely girls to buy us beer,
like "Bloody Hell" we are.

We travelled here in luxury,
the whole trip for a quid.
A sleeping berth for each of us,
like "Bloody Hell" we did.

Our feather beds are two feet deep,
the carpet's almost new.
In easy chairs we sit all day,
like "Bloody Hell" we do.

The "Goons" are bloody wizard chaps,
their hopes of victory good.
We'd change our places any day,
like "Bloody Hell" we would.

When winter comes & snow's around,
the temperature at nil.
We'll find hot bottles in our beds,
like "Bloody Hell" we will.

It's heaven on earth in Stalag Three,
a life we'd hate to miss.
It's everything we've always wished,
like "Bloody Hell" it is.

And when this war is over,
And jerry gets his bill.
We'll remember all that's happened here,
MY BLOODY OATH WE WILL.

J.I. Packer and Starting out in the Ministry

A couple of paragraphs stood out to me in this recent interview with J.I. Packer over many things including the state of the church in Canada, and encouragement to those in ministry.

It stood out to me for the simple reason that it was an answer to prayer. Since beginning Bible College and getting used to a new routine, all my devotional discipline has been shot through and I'm trying to work out a new way to keep being nourished by the Word in my week to week activities. I love a good, lengthy, not-running-to-a-clock devotional time, and the 8am starts, church ministries, and studies for subjects is a real test. After praying with some fellas this week about getting the balance of freedom and discipline in devotional life, the following couple of answers really provoked me in this area.

"KS: What would you say to someone starting out in ministry? What guidance would you offer?

JP: I would say that, when you are in the ministry, you must take charge of your own time, your own program. You must discipline yourself. You should make yourself a timetable for the working week and try to stick to it. There are two reasons for that. First, nobody is going to supervise you very carefully. If you allow yourself to be lazy and undisciplined, no one might notice. And the second is that undiscipline, laziness and disorder are, from Satan’s point of view, virtues he values.After 20 years of not achieving very much, the minister will have a nervous breakdown, burn out and so on and have to be laid off work. It’s inner disorder that produces these burnouts and breakdowns most of the time. People who work very hard but have taken charge of their own lives – and their lives are orderly – don’t have burnouts. When you are making the best use of the time God gives you, things are orderly. You are living realistically within the plan you have made for yourself and you don’t have the inner frustrations that bring burnout.

KS: But you might have a lot of other frustrations.

JP: You may have other frustrations. Being a pastor of a congregation is always a demanding and difficult business. If you’re going to take pastoral care seriously, you are constantly thinking and praying how you can get the parish to move forward, this way or that way, people converted or straight with the Lord – that won’t give you burnout. That will exercise your pastor’s heart. I would tell the young minister that this is the way it will be in ministry and to get his life in order. You have to find your own way with God devotionally. I can only say you ought, as a regular thing, to be getting words and thoughts of encouragement and visions of glorious things from the Lord. If you’re not getting those, you are in a rut. If you are in a rut, for goodness sake get help. Become a partner with someone you are accountable to. Walk together."

Thank you Lord!

Underbelly

Well, in case you didn't know, I'm a bit of a fan of mobster and gangster flicks. Goodfellas, Godfather, Heat, Sopranos... they're all up there. One lesser known great movie was called "Blue Murder" - an Australian 2-part series based on the Kings Cross crime scene. It was an absolute cracker.

Anyway, there's a new series in Australia which is making big waves around - Underbelly. I've been at bible study on Wednesday nights, which has meant no Underbelly for me, but I've just heard it's getting released on DVD. Here's hoping that it'll be reasonably cheap, not overly grotesque (too many gangster series' have gratuitous sex scenes these days!), and as exciting as people are saying.

As a Christian, there are challenges with watching this sort of genre, but all in all, I glad to be able to critique this sort of thing and appreciate it too!

John Frame's long awaited Theology of the Christian Life

.... out June! If you haven't read much of John Frame, then let me encourage you to do so. He has been a great help to me, and his books are well worth every penny!

Anglicanism and Evangelicalism with Phillip Jensen

Here's a great interview I'm currently listening to where Mark Dever interviews the Archdeacon of Sydney on topics such as Australian Anglicanism, dealing with success, his lack of regard for the academy, training ministers, the history of the Anglican movement, the future of the Anglican denomination and more... Well worth a listen.

http://resources.christianity.com/details/mrki/20080430/dea778c9-f3ce-4e83-8bb2-3bd0ba5b34be.aspx

The PC strikes back!

On the topic of getting back behind PCs... this is great....

Dan Kimball: Not Embarressed to be using a PC

Nice one Dan. I hear you mate! :)

"So for those who still use PC's - you are not crazy and you are not alone. Perhaps PC users are the new emerging rebels. Don't be fooled into the pressure and propaganda that you cannot be cool if you do not have a Mac. Coolness, innovation and creativity come from within, not from the type of computer you have. You can be cool (or uncool) using a Mac or a PC. So do not be embarrassed if you use a PC. When you are in a coffeehouse, proudly and boldly open your laptop lid and do not be ashamed you don't have a logo image of a fruit on it. Be strong and courageous. Do not cave in to the taunting and pressure those around you may give you. We can stand strong as non-conforming PC users - together."

http://www.dankimball.com/vintage_faith/2008/04/not-embarrassed.html