Interesting the difference….I bemoan the fact that I watched  the Forest Gump  movie , and when he became a zillionaire by buying some Fruit Shares  ( Actually meaning Apple Computers Inc) ….I didn’t follow suit…when the shares were $15 …whereas today they are around $600 a share. ..a thousand dollar investment  would have become a gain of USD$585,000 !!

But the word Lament is short for one of the saddest books in the Bible… the book of Lamentations. Lamentations describes the funeral of a city. The once proud city of Jerusalem destroyed by the Babylonians who decimated it around 600 years Before Christ was born….and cast out its inhabitants into exile.

And it features amongst the carnage and destruction …the words of Jeremiah the prophet who wrote the book previous to Lamentations….the words of hope …..Great is your (Gods ) Faithfulness. What would ever make him blurt that out when all around him was death, destruction and decimation. Even the beautiful hymn Great Is Thy Faithfulness is written from this verse. So what brought on this out burst  of hope from a man who was  highly emotional and  was called the weeping prophet?

To many, being tough falls into two categories….acting tough….like some of those real mean guys in the movies or those guys  ”acting ” in WWE wrestling  , or  secondly having to endure tough times …. such as being under the control of someone  or people who really makes life difficult for you.

Interestingly as I search the origin of this word , always starting with my Bible as the first point of reference ….the word ” tough” is no where to be seen.

This is not to say that  life in Biblical times were not ” tough” it must have been  incredibly so.

But the word Tough had its origins in the year 900. I can’t tell you much more than that. The word tough has many descriptive applications….from the tough person, all the way through to describing a tough piece of steak.

Even going to the word Hard you would think there would be hundreds of references in the Bible …..I was surprised to see a mere 11 references. Maybe it is a fact of live that we all encounter times that are hard, or times that are tough. Maybe it is the norm for living and that when we have  the occasasional better times or good times we should count our blessings and be incredibly grateful for those times.

I was inspired just today to read of the life of a 23 year old young lady , who at the age of 16 told her parents she wanted to be like Mother Teresa . A lot of people say these things ( especially at  such a young age) but few actually follow them up.

What this attractive young lady did, was leave her family at 18 , a University future , a boyfriend and lots of her church and college  friends, and travel to one of the poorest parts of  the third world Uganda , which for 30 years had two  despotic dictators …some say the worst in world history .

In the last 5 years Katie Davis  she has been nurse , cook, employer, teacher, and friend to thousands.

She has built a program that sends more than 400 local children to school and feeds 1600 kids daily. Her ministry pulls desperate women out of  prostitution and gives them work.

Katie has adopted and become mother / older sister to 14 young girls ….many coming to her by ” accident” .

Her story and her Ministry is breathtaking.

Goggle the word  amazima and see her ministry.

This young lady is tough….she had to be….but in the softest most gentleness way possible.

All the odds were stacked against her, but not only did she survive , but she thrived!!! Her faith in God got her through, .. and that shines through her persona…. how can she fail to do what she is doing in one of the worlds most impoverished countries.

Some people call Katie Davis extreme….some even might use the words crazy, nutty or even wierd. A 23 year young woman raising 14 children on her own after all is not usual behaviour .

I think she is very   well grounded…she openly says that people should not just go on a whim and sell everything and  become missionaries in Africa….after all anyone can be missionaries right where they are.

She calls her self ordinary – an ordinary person serving an extraordinary God.

“Live life to the fullest she says…. It is available. All we have to do is to get up and embrace it.”

It is an inspiration to us all……

I will write again soon.

Lindsay Walker

24th April 2012.

Easter seems pretty timid in New Zealand compared to how it’s recognised in some places overseas.

Below is  a list of 10 strange Easter traditions. If egg hunts and hot cross buns fail to excite you this Easter, then you may want to take note of what people in other countries are getting up to.

1. In the Czech Republic and Slovakia men and boys whip women and girls with decorated instruments, usually adorned with colourful ribbons. The Easter Monday tradition is not intended to be painful, but instead is meant to encourage good health and beauty. The women and girls may think differently.

2. New Zealand is famous for our butter – but Poland and Russia are famous for their butter lambs. Butter is sculpted into the shape of a lamb, which accompanies a meal.

3. The leftovers from Christmas create some fun at Easter time in Germany. Remnants of Christmas trees are piled into a heap and burnt as a way of recognising the end of winter and moving into spring.

4. You’ve probably seen chocolate eggs and bunnies, but what about a chocolate Bilby? In an attempt to raise awareness about the dwindling Bilby population, this small rabbit size marsupial with large ears, native to Australia, has been immortalised in chocolate.

5. While we may hide Easter eggs in New Zealand, some people in Switzerland display them proudly for everyone to see. It is a tradition in Nyon, near Geneva, to adorn fountains with flowers, ribbons and eggs.

6. The bells in France’s churches are silenced on Good Friday to recognise the death of Jesus. But legend says that the bells actually fly to Rome and fly back in time to be rung on Easter Sunday. There are many paintings and pictures attesting to this tradition.

7. The burning of Judas is an ancient Easter ritual in Orthodox and Catholic nations, but only a few countries still practice it. An effigy of Judas is often displayed and burnt at Easter time in parts of Greece, Mexico, Portugal and Spain.

8. It’s most likely that a man was behind this Polish tradition. Men in Poland are not allowed to make Easter bread, and some say any food at all over Easter, in fear that their moustache will turn grey.

9. Finland may need a reminder that it’s Easter, not Halloween. Children often dress up as witches and wander the streets with broomsticks in the hunt for treats. The tradition is said to have come from the belief that witches would fly to Germany and cavort with Satan. Bonfires are meant to scare them away.

10. Here we eat eggs, in England they roll them. Egg rolling is still a popular sport in the United Kingdom. People compete by rolling eggs down large hills. The ones that roll the furthest or survive the most competitions win.

Like Christmas many of the Easter Festivites are based on Pagan tradition. But the true ( and only ) meaning of Easter is the Death ( on Easter Friday) of Jesus Christ , and his victorous resurection on Easter Sunday. The Easter Eggs, Easter Bunnies  and Easter Hot Cross Buns  along with the list of ten above are either a figment of the imagination  or an attempt to extract cash from those prone to over indulge on a mostly chocolate fixation.

I can’t talk…..having been banned from Dalaines Pantry …where my eyes were fixated on a packet of Hot Cross Buns ( which I am told are for the pending arrival of her 10 year old grandson)….I now reside in my office eating a peice of Toast contemplating on this magnificent Clear Blue sky Autum day….what is next.

Where ever you are and what ever you are doing ….may it be a truly Blessed day ….for all the right reasons.

I will write again soon

Lindsay Walker

I have added a 5th one……Revenge.!!

The case in point to me was highlighted this week by the US soldier in Afghanistan killing families of innocent people (16 men women children and babies ) in an action that cannot be explained or justified. No one in their right mind either in Peace time or a War conflict , would walk out of a military base take night vision glasses , a military vehicle , an assault rifle….then drive some miles before walking door to door killing all in sight and burning their bodies.

Nothing can justify those actions….no amount of remorse or compensation can repay or replace those who lost their lives.

Even the defense will struggle with putting together a  case  that would be plausible in a court of law…the only possibility a  previous war injury that caused brain damage …but was deemed that the accused was fully recovered from. Maybe something triggered  in his brain to believe he was still in active combat , but no armed force ever “does war” in isolation….never is one man  sent out on a mission by himself…..certainly no into an area of open hostility, in the early hours of the morning.

So the latest  news from that region is to expect  obvious revenge from all those who hate the Americans ( and the Western World) their allies..  An Eye For An Eye……or one death (16 in this case) . But extreme Islamics would want far more than that …maybe multiply by hundreds or in the case of  Twin Towers/ September 11 2001 …death in the thousands.

Was such killing evident in the old  testament Bible  times? It certainly was. It was Brutal…  often God allowed it to happen or in cases he instigated it. But there is an important aspect that needs to be understood. If God who created life wants to destroy life he does it for a very good reason…..and he never did it for evil to prosper. The English have a saying to explain men ( or women for that matter) who are very gentle , peaceful ,slow to anger.

We say they ” would never hurt a fly “….  but really have you ever seen how annoying a fly can be?

I can never understand why God created flies…..everything else had a purpose and was a thing of beauty. If you have ever seen a fly under a microscope all we can say is thank Goodness they are not 10 feet tall ….otherwise we would be in massive trouble.

Maybe he wanted to show us a glimpse of Satan’s Evil to show us the stark difference between good and bad.

So advance several thousands of years to the new testament and Jesus Time . A time when we are commanded NOT to take retribution and seek revenge. We are told to obey the old testament Commandments but also to live a life and follow the teaching that Jesus taught to his disciples and subsequently to the world wide Christian Church.We are to stand firm for righteousness AND yes we can show indignation at wrongdoing but a definite NO to taking revenge…. THAT we must leave it  up to God to deal with.

Some of you will know of my encounter with ” An Eye For An Eye”  justice system….in a country only 8 hours flying time from New Zealand …Papua New Guinea.

Where pay back is simple….Kill a Pig , or Kill A Kid ( Child) or have a car accident and kill one person ….and you will die…Kill more than one and they will find the name of your family and friends and we will do the same to them  ……it is called pay back.It goes back thousands of years.

I won’t go into the details it would take too long …..but I was slammed in my drivers door at high speed by a packed bus full of people which did me no good healthwise ….but at least they didn’t kill me ..they were more intent removing inside parts of my car’s stereo system and failed to notice a fully loaded Glock 8mm Pistol  that was sitting 3 inches in front of the Stereo.

God obviously protected me from them the same way he spared my life when  certainly under normal circumstances I should never be alive now.

Revenge of Hatred never achieves anything. Retaliation only creates more bloodshed. Sadly Islamic Extremists operate on a  failed belief  system, on a lifestyle that is full of hatred and lies and worship to a prophet that was only human and not a very good one at that.He didn’t rise from the dead, didn’t heal the crippled the sick and the blind….and if he ever went near water could certainly not walk on it.And he certainly wasn’t the son of God.

So for the next few weeks we will see a very interesting trial take place.

If found quility  by US law will he face the death sentence  ??( to largely appease the Muslems) and if he is executed how is one of the so called devout Christian Bastians of Society ( the United States Of America)can  go against the word of God in its entirity and kill.

We live in interesting times.

I will write again soon

Lindsay Walker

Wednesday 14th March 2012.

The second thing I have noticed is that many carry intergenerational hurts and have been deeply scared by things that have been said  to them and about them that have gone right into their inner most being ( their soul) and have left huge damage that in most cases have not been addressed.

I have been reading for some time an excellent book  by the late Derek Prince entitled Blessing or Curse: You can Chose.  

This great little book covers a myriad of topics too numerous to cover in this 700 or so word blog…but his summary of blessings includes…..Exaltation, Health, Productiveness, Prosperity, Victory, Gods favour whilst the Curses includes Humiliation, Barrenness and Unfruitfulness, Mental and Physical Sickness , Family Breakdown, Poverty, Defeat, Oppression, Failure and Gods Disfavour.

Reading such a book has really sharpened my senses and awareness,and to be very careful that what you speak in the negative does not mean you speak things into existence. For example for the last 4 years or so , when I was under a considerable amount of stress I would often say ” I am sick and  tired of hearing……. Maybe my severe sleeping disorder has come about by me saying those words.

Some may think nothing of doing that , but I read if you want  to get into a bad habit….do the same thing for 21 days and you will have it in your physic for 21 years!

The mind is a very powerful weapon, and it can be used both for good and bad. On a recent Television program I saw a series of amazing statistics on how much the human body generates in an average life time.

The numbers were in many cases simply extraordinary. Like our DNA would stretch to the moon and back three times…the amount of blood and plasma etc would full swimming pools…and so it went on. The liver being replaced in 7 weeks….skin replacement  100 times over etc etc….

But the one thing that can not be replaced or regrown is the human brain , which of course includes our minds.

Rather than regrowing it degenerates. We are told in no uncertain terms in Gods Word  to guard our minds as well as to renew our minds. Our brains ( minds)   will not regrow, recover or rebirth its self naturally,  rather we loss brain cells as we age and do damage to ourselves over the course of our life time.

The biggest difficulty I see in many peoples lives, is their inability  ( unable to) to let go of things…like past hurts, and not being able to forgive people. Many of our mental illnesses, including cancers , I believe have deep roots in this one area of our mind.

Being able to forgive is one thing but also being able top accept Gods forgiveness for sin  is something else …. being in perpetual bondage for sin should have no place in your life….especially if you want to to live a fulfilled life.

So these 4  R words are ????

Regret , Repent, Rejoice and Release !!!!

Regret the thing you did. Ask for forgiveness AND MEAN IT! Rejoice when you have been relieved of the burden ….and then set it adrift and never refer to it again.

Simple???    Sounds easy eh  but so many people might do the the first and even the second R , but the third and forth R ….not so easy.

I know of many people who are in maybe their 80′s who still have not forgiven members of their families for something that happened in their childhood. They have literally become bonded to a prison in  their minds for all these years….it is a tragedy  and one of undoubted sadness to them and those close around them.( especially when they open their mouths and the vitriol comes out).

Make it a resolution not to dwell in the past. Use the 4 “R ‘s to clean your minds Hard drive….it is almost like Control/ Alt/ Delete!!! And do it now and keep on doing it until you feel your mind has got  lighter.

It will make a difference in many ways!!! It is the best Weight Loss Program imaginable .

I will talk to you again soon

Lindsay Walker

6 March 2012

So forces of light meets forces of darkness. Evil has sadly in this case taken the life of a person who was revered and looked up to by so many. Especially women.

Aretha Franklin, Shirley Bassey, Dionne  Warwick ( related) are just names of great Black women singers with the most incredible voices …and Whitney Houston was right up there with them.

Sadly she will be remembered  for all the wrong reasons…..how she died rather than how she lived.

Yes, she had some amazingly beautiful songs that she will be remembered for…..

“I will always love you “,  ”I wanta Dance with Somebody ” (Who Loves Me) and “Saving All my Love For You  ” and the Global Blockbuster Movies “The Bodyguard” and “The Preachers Wife “.

These were Love songs that embellished the joy of living, being in love and enjoying life.  And yet if you see the concert ( in Melbourne Australia) where disappointed fans were openly hostile in her dismal attempt to sing , or when you see the Oprah  Television show where Whitney Houston openly confessed to heavy usage of Marijuana and Cocaine.

An untimely death was inevitable. The 15 years of abuse she received from her then Husband ( 1992 to 2007) had taken its toll.

Maybe I live in too much of an idealistic dream, as one that doesn’t ( hasn’t ) Smoked , taken drugs, or drunk alcohol ( other than a glass of wine once or twice a year) ….maybe I am out of touch with reality.

But If I had such an incredible talent I would never want to do anything to destroy or damage that talent.  Maybe the problem is that few people acknowledge God for that gift or talent. They take it for granted. They don’t value it as a priceless treasure. And few give God the Glory for it by using such a gift to sing his Praises.

In Whitney’s case the singing in Church Choirs didnt go beyong childhood , and the faith didn’t transition into living for God everyday.

There are many who I could name that have saddened me….but I must say who am I to judge….I am sure  God will be  just as disappointed with me and my many failings.

So what can we learn from the passing of this beautiful Song Bird?

We I am sure will get  ”over it ” . Today’s Headlines  will be come tomorrows forgotten news. Every time we hear the songs or watch the movies, flash backs of memories of Saturday 12th February ( LA time) will come to the forefront of our minds.

May you ( and I ) press closer to God through his word….for it is the truth.May the following words be encouraging for you today.

Seek good and not evil,

That you may live

So that the Lord of hosts will be with you

As You have spoken

Hate Evil , Love Good.

Amos 5: 11.

As a final postscript…..many years ago as a child I came across a young boy of similar age to me who had a sling shot , and was aiming at the birds on the telephone lines. Fortunately he was a poor shot and the birds were pretty safe. I asked him which birds he was aiming at ….and his reply was the ones that sing. Why I asked….His answer  ” because they make more noise than the others” . I said “but they are the birds that are the most happy ” …..he didnt answer me….

Maybe the so called ” friends” of Whitney  Houston could reflect on what their actions through feeding her drugs….was like this boy wanting to silence the once  most happiest songbird that our generation has seen.

I will write again soon.

Lindsay Walker

13th February 2012.

This 114,500 ton floating palace with it’s 13 decks, 1500 cabins , and countless attractions for the super rich, is now lying worthless on the seafloor , ( or at least on rocks) as an eye saw to the many people of the area off the  Italian coast … still coming to grips with the tragedy.

There will be claims and counter claims in the high courts around the world, Insurance Companies suing and counter suing ….lawyers trying to glean financial advantage for their clients ( and themselves).

But interestingly just days after this global catastrophe …..it is for most parts off the news radar. Hope for the few remaining passengers unaccounted for has now faded, and for most the months, if not years , of  preventing an ecological disaster  and the eventual salvaging for scrape of this monolith , will hold little interest for most people.

Taking the rap. ….Well did he or didn’t he. The Captain I mean.

Was he trying to show off to the Retired Admiral on shore, or to the Family of his Head Chef? Was he trying to impress the young lady who dined at his table, and who  ( maybe)  had accompanied him to the bridge that night?. This is the stuff of a Romantic Best Seller…even a Block Buster  Motion Picture….

Was it a 4 and a half  minute passionate kiss with his eyes closed and the other crew who were  overseeing the steering all looking at their feet for the same amount of time ….that allowed the ship to be less than 150 metres from the shore, hit rocks and partially  sink.

All these elements pose many unanswered questions, but without doubt all will be revealed in the course of time.

I personally blame technology.

Sea Farers of great cruise liners of the past had huge wheels to steer their ships. Five fully 6 foot  rotations on the wheel  to make a one degree difference in the route the ship sails.

Today you have a little three inch stick….almost like an X Box game control stick….and that folks is all that prevents you from doing a rather large oppsy as happened to The Costa C.

But before all you Cruise lovers cancel your bookings to buy a spar bath, Cruise Liners of today have some of the most sophisticated controls and backup systems in order to help prevent disasters of what happened to Captain Francesco and his ship.

Help does not give however immunity from stupidity.!

Fortunately there was not a higher loss of life. The Titanic sunk in April 1912 with the loss of 1523 lives. Two years later also in the Atlantic , the Empress of Ireland sunk in May 1914 with 1012 lives lost.

But the largest loss of lives goes to more recent times (1987 ) when the Dona Paz sunk of the Philippines with a numb chilling 4,375 people drowned.

The Doña Paz was built in 1963 , it had a passenger capacity of 608 people.^[

On December 20, 1987, at 0630H, Philippine Standard Time, the Doña Paz disembarked from Tacloban City,Leyte, for the Philippine capital of Manila,near Marinduque. A survivor later said that the weather at sea that night was clear, but the sea was choppy^[ While most of the passengers slept, the Doña Paz collided with MT Vector, an oil tanker en route from Bataan to Masbate. The Vector was carrying 8,800 barrels of gasoline and other petroleum products owned by Caltex Philippines

Upon the collision, the Vector's cargo ignited and caused a fire that spread onto the Doña Paz. Survivors recalled sensing the crash and an explosion, causing panic on the vessel.^] Both ships sank in about 545 meters of water in the shark-infested Tablas Strait

It reportedly took eight hours before Philippine maritime authorities learned of the accident, and another eight hours to organize search and rescue operations.

Twenty-six survivors were retrieved from the seas. Twenty-four of them were passengers on the Doña Paz while the other two were crew members of the Vector.^]None of the crew of the Doña Paz survived. Most of the survivors sustained burns from jumping into the flaming waters.

According to the initial announcement made by Sulpicio Lines, the official passenger manifest of the Doña Paz recorded 1,493 passengers and 60 crew members aboard.^] According to Sulpicio Lines, the ferry was able to carry 1,424 passengers. A revised manifest released on December 23, 1987, showed 1,583 passengers and 58 crew members on the Doña Paz, with 675 persons boarding the ferry in Tacloban City, and 908 coming on board in Catbalogan City.^] However, an anonymous official of Sulpicio Lines told UPI that extra tickets were usually purchased illegally aboard the ship at a cheaper rate, and those passengers were not listed on the manifest.^] The same official added that holders of complimentary tickets and non-paying children below the age of four were likewise not listed on the manifest.

Survivors claimed that it was possible that the Doña Paz may have carried as many as 3,000 to 4,000 passengers. They took as signs that the ferry was overcrowded the fact that passengers were sleeping along corridors or on cots with three or four persons on them.Of the 21 bodies that had been identified five days after the accident, only one of the fatalities was listed on the official manifest

Time magazine called the accident the deadliest peace-time maritime disaster of the 20th century.Given the estimated death toll, the sinking of the Doña Paz has been called the world’s deadliest peacetime sea tragedy.Philippine President Corazon Aquino described the accident as “a national tragedy of harrowing proportions…[the Filipino people's] sadness is all the more painful because the tragedy struck with the approach of Christmas”.

Sulpicio Lines announced three days after the accident that the Doña Paz was insured for ?25 million (about US$1 million in 2011 dollars), and it was willing to indemnify the survivors the amount of 20 thousand (US$472 in 2011) for each victim . Days later, hundreds of family members of the victims staged a rally at theRizal Park demanding that the ship owners likewise indemnify the families of those who were not listed on the manifest, as well as to give a full accounting of the missing.

According to the initial investigation conducted by the Philippine Coast Guard, only one apprentice member of the crew of the Doña Paz was monitoring the bridge when the accident occurred.Other officers were either drinking beer or watching television, while the ship’s captain was watching a movie on his Betamax.Nonetheless, subsequent inquiries revealed that the Vector was operating without a license, lookout or properly qualified master.^] The Board of Marine Inquiry eventually cleared Sulpicio Lines of fault in the accident.In 1999, the Philippine Supreme Court ruled that it was the owners of the Vector who were liable to indemnify the victims of the collision. Some of the claims pursued against either Sulpicio Lines or the owners of the Vector, such as those filed by the Cañezal family (who lost two members) and the Macasas family (who lost three members) were adjudicated by the Supreme Court, which found that even the families of victims who did not appear on the official manifest were entitled to indemnity.Caltex Philippines, which had chartered the Vector, was likewise cleared of financial liability.

What ever happens, someone has to take the rap.

All we can do is pray that we are never put into a position or situation such as the one that confronted  Captain Schettino.

In a period of less than 15 minutes, his life and those of many thousand more have been indelibly changed. His life much of what is left could be in jail. His family will be in all probability will be harassed and victimised. They will in all probability be financially ruined.

For the family of the victims  the heart ache will never go away….the same for the thousands affected by the Donna Paz.

And still we talk, and read and watch the Titanic sinking…the worlds most famous shipping disaster…….Maybe what comes out of the  Costa Concordia enquiry will provide similar fascination

I will write again soon

Lindsay Walker

24th January 2012.

If we were in drought conditions ( which we were fast getting close to) then all fears have been dispelled….because it is pouring with rain ( heaviest in years) and it is a cool 14 degrees.

So Black Friday for me anyway is something at least a little grey and overcast!

But I am facinated why this particular day arouses fear and concern for many.

And I have found there are two  ”celebrations ” of Black Friday …..not that the word “Celebration ” is necessarily a good word to use.

The First is what I believe happens in the United Sates of America.

The idea behind the term “Black Friday” is that this is the day in which retail stores have enough sales to put them “in the black” – an accounting expression that alludes to the practice of recording losses in red and profits in black.

It was originally called Black Friday because so many people went out to shop that it caused traffic accidents and sometimes even violence.

These words include….FEAR,  INSECURITY, SENSITIVITY, LACK OF  PURPOSE, PERFECTIONISM,  BECOMING ORDERED, FUSTRATED, VULNERABLE.

The truth of the matter is, that we all will fail on something during our lifetime. We all make mistakes, or make poor errors of judgement. It could be in areas of finance, or relationship or in health.

But it is not the mistakes that we make in life, but how we react and recover from our mistakes that is important.

Remember our past has no rights and no say towards who we are today.  (unless you don’t let it go).

There is nothing in your past that can disqualify your future. ( unless you let it)

We have a wonderful program in the House Of Breakthrough Church called Past Present and Future….that addresses everything that we can recall  that may have effected us in our lives. Maybe deep hurts, rejection, misunderstandings…..and much more. It is amazing what comes up (and out) .

By addressing past hurts forgiving and forgetting is very empowering and can really be liberating and releasing.

Proverbs 18:1-2 tells us that     “A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire. He rages against all wise judgement . A fool has no delight in understanding , but in expressing his own heart.”

Never ever do that.  Rather than pray a prayer that goes something like this…

Lord..make me teachable.

Take away any reluctance to learn.

Take away any arrogance that is in me.

Take away any resistance to forgive and then forget anything that I have done, or others have done to me.

Take away hesitancy, replacing it with boldness and decisiveness.

Take away Procrastination.

Give me the Fear of The Lord….which is the beginning of understanding.

Rather than dwelling on the past look foward to living for the future. Make every moment of every day count, but remember your health is really really important especially as we age.

Insecurity  is something that robs you of so much. Insecurity blocks affirmation, both in the giving of affirmation to others and the receiving and accepting affirmation  from others.

Satan uses our insecurity to attack and keep on attacking. He is trying to find weaknesses and will like dry rot or borer, will persist until he finds a strong hold.

He is not seeking to take your finances, your relationships or your health….he is wanting to take your faith.

Few people fully understand we are in a spiritual battle every day that we live on this earth…one that all of us are involved in.

In closing this particular blog, I want to suggest you pray this prayer either silently or out aloud to yourself. You need to keep praying it not once but many times…

I ( …..) need to depower failure….to see it not as  a destructive force, but rather a learning one, to align me to what he ( God)  wants me to focus on , as someone whom he loves and values.I dont need to justify failure , but rather accept it.I don’t need to take on board the negatives of failure, either in my subconscious, or words spoken by others…..rather rebuke it and look to the positives and the blessings that failure will teach and instruct me.

I am sure I have disappointed a number of readers who thought I would talk about New Years resolutions and the 100% guarantee ( not) of weight loss, more money, job promotion and more excitement for 2012.

But the older I get ( and hopefully wiser)  the more I believe that addressing the past has so much to do with helping us get through the future.

By getting close to God, we understand how weak we really are, and there is little we can do without him.The Bible tells us     ” My Grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness”.

With God’s help all things are possible .

Our time on this earth is not reach perfection,but rather be built, moulded , transformed, transposed,renewed….for the time of perfection will happen on the day of Glory  when we meet our Lord in Heaven.

I will write again soon

Lindsay Walker

10th January 2012.

We all know Christmas time as being the time where gifts are exchanged, families and friends come together, consumption of food and drink etc etc. In some parts of the world Christmas is a festive season, based on the christian beliefs that it is the celebration of the birth of the infant Jesus Christ, whilst other societies and cultures  basically ignore the reason for celebration but take the time off anyway.

Many will see Christmas with snow and mistletoe, whilst the more lucky ones in the southern Hemisphere should enjoy warm sunny days maybe sitting beside an idyllic lake or lying in the sand on some crowded beach.

Christmas can be a time of great joy and excitement for some, others it can be a time of sadness and isolation.

For a young child the excitement of Christmas is one of anticipation…the expectancy of opening presents , playing with new toys ( which have gotten more sophisticated and more expensive as the years go by) , and to playing with these toys with their friends and maybe family ( depending on age) . Even though much of this Christmas ritual is European paganism…it is for most parts jolly good fun and pretty harmless.

The Time for Christmas , to which this blog is all about  is really aimed at exploring why this festive season has endured for so long ( over 2000 years).

It is inconceivable that anyone would ever consider scraping Christmas, but in this quick changing politically correct society we live in ( particularly in Western bloc countries) anything is possible. We in New Zealand love ” tinkering with things”. Politicians and Government workers make it a full time profession.

So why has Christmas endured?  It certainly can’t be said it is  because of the Christian content and reason for Christmas ….church attendances in many countries have either declined or at least remained the same for years. ( although some would argue that they only go to church annually     ( on Christmas Day) .

The real reason for Christmas to be such an enduring iconic and not to be missed occasion, is that it provides huge economic spin offs for retailers , hospitality and transport operators.

I heard a figure recently that stated most retailers expect to turn over 30% plus of their annual turn over in the 5 or so days leading up to Christmas.

But one thing I have noticed this year in particular, is that many stores are discounting between 30 and 50% off the normal retail before Christmas. This I believe is unprecedented. Is it because of the worsening global economy , or is it a shrewd move to capture  a greater percentage of market share. In the past retailers have double dipped by vigorously encouraging people to buy before Christmas…then offer on Boxing Day , massive savings , which has prompted many people to hold off buying until the day after. Some even more astute buyers actually use that day of so called discounts to buy large for the following Christmas Day ….but maybe not in the clothing line for children as much can happen in 12 months of growing!

How the old traditional Boxing Day has changed!

In times long past, Boxing Day was the day when the servants feasted on the left overs from the masters pleasures of opulence of the day before….when presents would be opened on that day , mainly in boxes. I am not sure whether the privileged actually gave presents to their servants, or whether the servants wrapped them up themselves taking what was thrown out in the garbage pile.

There will be I hope always a time ( and a place for Christmas) .

For me, Christmas along with Easter are the two most important and revered times of the year, and this will remain so for obvious reasons.

So all that remains with less than 4 days to go until Christmas, is to wish you and your loved ones the  most meaningful Blessed and Merry Christmas.

In that I must include the words ” safe” Christmas ….I notice in New Zealand the ACC ( Accident Compensation Commission) paid out $2 million dollars last Christmas for ” Christmas Day Injuries “!!

I will write again soon

Lindsay Walker

Wednesday 21st December.