As contrast to the elephant piece he is a note on being human.

It takes so much to be a full human being that there are very few who have the courage or the enlightenment to pay the price. One has to abandon altogether the search for security and reach out with the risk of living wiht both arms. One has to embrace the world like a lover and yet demand no easy return or love. One has to accept pain as a condition of existence. One has to court duobt and darkness as the cost of existence. One needs a will stubborn in conflict but apt always to the total acceptanc eof living and dying.

I wish I was an elephant who wanders the African Savannah with my family. I could play in mud, have sex and raise children and eat food and not have to worry about putting on weight. I would also know what it is to be truly peaceful. I wonder whether true peacefulness exists in our culture. I am having a lovely time in Sydney and closer to peacefulness than I have been in a long time b ut still watching Martin’s David Attenborough DVD’s I couldn’t help but wonder whether elephants are the advanced species. I am going to add elephants on my list of things to pray for.

It is not a common moment that I get to look around a room/picnic ground/cafe/pub/hyde park where it is raining like crazy and I get to see so many special people I love and whom I grew up with. I am inspired by a God who I feel purposely brings people together.  It is so nice to be surrounded by Spanish speakers through Victor and Layla and Martin and Mil and Jo and Jem. If I didn’t feel so loved I would feel left behind but our community is so full of love that it is OK, even though I don’t always get what people are talking about.  No matter how small a gift we bring, we all have our place. I am reminded of that through the song “The Little Drummer Boy.” The drummer boy comes to Jesus feeling like he has no gifts to bring but then he remembers he can play and Jesus smiles at him.

There are moments in my life where I look back over my life and I think “man I  am one stupid person.”  But then there are moments like now where I feel that maybe I am not entirely stupid.

Biblical Prophets – High Distinction

Playwriting – Distinction

Hebrew – Credit

I am so excited, marks like these don’t come around every semester.

I was on my way home from netball the other night (we won) driving in my friends car. She listens to commercial radio which I don’t really do here in Melbourne. I don’t know any of the frequencies. Anyway on came Michael Franti and Spearheads new tune about Barack Obama. Has everyone heard it???  It is great, made me feel pretty damn happy. I am tempted to turn on commercial radio just so I can hear the song again.

All the staff at Urban Seed got awards on our annual Christmas dinner.

I received an award for

Events Management. For mananging the massive Melbourne Event that is my daily life.

Today began the 2008 Melbourne Homeless World Cup. Collins and Swanston Street closed down for a big parade and my friends and I watched homeless soccer players from all around the world dance and sing and cheer as they excitedly walked the streets waving the flag of the country they are from. When the USA team went by their chant was “yes we can, yes we can.” I yelled back “yes we can.” It was a great moment. (For anyone who hasn’t seen Obama’s speech, his catch phrase was “yes we can.”) Anyway lucky me, being staff at the Big Issue I get and all access areas pass at the Homeless Cup. This is cool because it means I can access the village which is where the players hang out where there is music and BBQ’s and stuff. Sometimes the world is overwhelming but other times it is really fun!!