More iphoto subtle variations

These are 3 variations of the same image using iPhoto special effects adjustments.
l like all the images.
Taken on a Pentax Kx DSLR.

Eucalypt Renmark South Australia

Pageviews by Countries this last week

Russia 177 United States 109 Australia 47 Germany 23 Mexico 19 Ukraine 12 United Kingdom 4 Canada 3 India 3 France 2

Pageviews by Browsers Internet Explorer 93 (37%) Firefox 85 (34%) GranParadiso 21 (8%) Chrome 20 (8%) Safari 16 (6%) Opera 13 (5%) Pageviews by Operating Systems Windows 361 (88%) Linux 25 (6%) iPhone 12 (2%) Macintosh 6 (1%) iPad 2 (<1%) Unix 1 (<1%)

I HAVE CALLED YOU FRIENDS

This is a sermonette I will be delivering to the Parkrose Nursing Home Adelaide tomorrow morning.

Lesley will be playing the piano.

I HAVE CALLED YOU FRIENDS- 29/4/12 PARKROSE VILLAGE 

John 15:9-17

New Living Translation (NLT)

⁹ “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. ¹⁰ When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. ¹¹ I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! ¹² This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. ¹³ There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command. ¹⁵ I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. ¹⁶ You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. ¹⁷ This is my command: Love each other.

One of the beautiful things in life is to be able to call someone your friend and to be a friend to someone else.

Most of us are blessed with 2 or 3 good friends.

Some we have known since childhood , some have become so in the different stages of life.

People we meet through employment, sport, schools, Church and other means of socialising.

Some of us of course, as we get older, lose some of our friends as they pass on or become infirm  to the point we can no longer communicate.

A current trend is for younger people to have contact with lots of people through their computers and many people get emails and are asked if they can become someone's friend on “facebook”.

Only a small handful of such people may really be what you would call close friends.

The fact that so many people are caught up in  these computer networks and want to be called someone’s friend is in my opinion a cry from lonely hearts: a cry

 to be acknowledged

to be noticed,

to be loved.

So what is a friend?

Here are some of my ideas:

Someone who supports you unconditionally whether you are well behaved or not.

Someone who will provide you an unjudgmental and genuine listening ear.

Someone who might possibly help you financially or materially when you are in crisis.

Who will do this without being asked, as they are sensitive and in tune  to your needs.

Someone who might also be able to gently and lovingly help you correct a bad attitude or behaviour.

An a real friend of the highest caliber might die for you.

Listen to this story from a book I have called “Christ in the Silence” by C.F. Andrews

It seems a fitting story also as we have just remembered this week the fallen ANZAC soldiers.

“The story is told of two soldiers in France during the First World War who had become dear comrades in the trenches.

One of them after an unsuccessful night sortie, was found to be missing.

Then a cry was heard from no man’s land.

His comrade recognised his friends voice.

He eagerly asked his commanding officer if he might go out and bring his friend in.

“You can go,” said the officer,”but it’s not worth it! Your friend is probably dead by this time, and you will throw your life away.”

The young soldier did not wait for a moment. He went out at once and brought his friend back.

When he reached the safety of the trenches at last, his friend was found to be dead and he himself was mortally wounded.

He turned towards the officer with joy: “Sir  it was worth it!

When I reached him he looked up and said to me .

“I knew you’d come!”.

The writer of the book goes on to say “This surely is the measure of the “greater love” which reveals to us the heart of Christ Himself.

For we were out there in “no man’s land”, and He came.

He died to bring us back,

We were “worth it” to Him, because we were His friends.”

Lesley and I have close friends, some in our family ranks and some outside of them.

We value them all and also those who we might not be as close  as we would like to be.

Some friends we might meet up with after many years of non contact but the mark of that friendship is that it just seems that we can pick up our conversation and relationship  almost exactly where we left off even 20 years ago.

We hear of the term “fair weather friends”.

A true friend is never a “fair weather friend”.

Jesus is our friend through thick and thin.

Even if you had no other earthly friend Jesus is your friend here and now and longs to walk and talk with you.

He longs to share His love with you through His word ,The Living Bible.

He longs to comfort you in times of great sorrow and need and illness.

Others may fail you but He will not if you put your trust in Him.

What a friend we have in Jesus.

The Quiet Time-Tape by Frank Hunting

This is a movie slideshow made from Keynote on a Mac just so the Audio can be heard. I have deliberately not made the video of a high quality to keep the file small.There is no vision of this talk just the Audio.I have created several photography courses using keynote and should this method work I may make them available on my blog. Also there may be more Christian teaching tapes added in this way.I have many titles by Frank Hunting on key Christian topics.If you search this blog's index you will find many of his written teaching  studies. I only managed to get 9 mins of this, this time but our "best men are working on it"(This means I need to do a bit more research).I hope what you have heard will have whetted your appetite.There is lot's more on this vital topic to come and there are notes that compliment the tapes.

                                                                  

"Seeing" photographic subjects

There are many photographic subjects literally at our feet.A favourite of mine is to take shots of forest floor debris.
In a eucalyptus mallee forest location the combinations are  almost as endless as snow flake photography.

Photos taken with Pentax Kx dslr.

Just Beautiful

Two swallows posed for me beautifully on the Lyrup Punt last Sunday.

A punt is a floating platform to carry vehicles across a river and is  moved by winches and steel cables.

Photographed with a Pentax Kx

Flock of Galahs taken from ouside Subway Sandwich Bar at Berri  Shopping Centre

ABC "THEN AND NOW"

Last tuesday I spent a lovely afternoon with Susan Rooney-Harding of the ABC Open programme.
Susan is based in Renmark South Australia and as she says "has the best job!" conducting workshops with people on how to tell their stories using still photography,video and audio.
This a project I am still working on with Susan so when it is finished will post the link.

Below is a sample of the photographs we were taking last Tuesday.

Below is a link to ABC Open in the Riverland of SouthAustralia

http://open.abc.net.au/openregions/sa-riverland-37BO6fI

The project is now completed.
See the link below to Susan's blog which also has links to my photographs.

http://open.abc.net.au/posts/a-true-australian-bushman-62ds6on

Ps.
 I particularly like this story of Belinda's on ABC open.

https://open.abc.net.au/explore/63711

Faith as a little Child

     

From the Newsletter of The Renmark West Uniting Church

 
THE WAY TO KNOW

by Frank Hunting

“ I thank thee , O Father… because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed these unto babes.”

Matthew 11:25

The one characteristic of a babe is its utter dependency on its parents. Establish this relationship with God and you shall know. Yes , you shall know the deep and the high and the wide things about God. You will know God and in knowing God you will know the hidden meanings of life.

Death of Charles Colson

It is reported that Charles Colson has died aged 80. He has long been an insightful evangelical Christian leader and Prison reformer.
I remember him coming to Australia and being a guest speaker on the programme Meet The Press where he spoke before many of Australia's then leading journalists.
He was very warmly received by them and I still have a tape of that programme.
He will be sadly missed as he was constantly throwing out challenges to Christians and shared openly also of his own failures and worries but always pointing back to Jesus Christ.
Below is how Chritianity Today reported on this.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2012/aprilweb-only/chuck-colson-dead.html

Glenelg Holdfast Shores Marina at Night

We went on friday night with good friends Anne and Dave to a cafe at the Glenelg Holdfast Shores Marina.
This a popular restaurant and boat haven and luxury accommodation area at Glenelg beach South Australia.
These shots are taken on my Canon 600d and have not been edited or photoshopped.Handheld and no tripod.

Dealing with Depression

-->

I originally wrote this article in nov 09.I have reposted it in order to encourage those trying to cope with Depression. I am no longer suffering depression.  I was taking anti depressant medication for 2 years.
I am sure it helped in the early stages but I had to make a decision to say no more at the end as it was difficult to tell if it was helping or hindering after a while.
As one who was totally anti drugs for depression in the first place I believe there is a place for them in treatment of severe depression.
As one who has now had 3 bouts of  depression in my life , at age 20 age 33  and again in my 60's I can honestly say you never know when something might trigger this off but I am very confident that as a Christian trusting Jesus, in spite of our feelings, is the answer to our Depression.
I don't say that lightly and I am well aware that many Christians go through life never getting on top of their depression.
We do often need someone to show us how to do that.   

      DEPRESSION

Some thoughts by Geoff Thompson

I have recently , since June 2009,through family circumstances, fallen into a state that 2 psychiatrists said was a deep state of major depression. I saw the first one at near the height of my anguish and the second about a month later when I was considerably improved. During the early stages of the depression I could not read  a newspaper, could not watch television even my much liked football and cricket telecasts.

I did not watch all the way through one complete football match for the whole season of 2009.

I didn’t watch the AFL Grand Final.

I could not go into shops without feeling oppressed. In fact I knew I was in trouble when I was trying to buy a vacuum cleaner for my wife’s aunty and could not work out where I had to pay for the item in the shop.

As a keen photographer I found it difficult to even think about taking a photograph.

I could no longer listen to music of any form on radio or cd or vynil record player.

I could not sleep at night.

I missed several weeks of work.

I lost 2 stone in weight which was a good thing.

I walked away from people during conversations without warning.

I had all sorts of random feelings in my limbs and body and often a thick cloud in my head.

One night I had a strange experience of a severe trembling starting of in my head an proceeding down my limbs and legs. I got out of bed and walked around and it did not stop for about 5 minutes,

On a holiday to central Australia in july 09 I felt like I wanted to walk off into the vast desert and perish.

I could go on with some of the other symptoms and feelings including bursting into tears in front of various people as I tried to talk about what had happened and explain why I was so distressed.

I had read some time ago of the Late Harry Lauder who was a world famous entertainer whose only son was killed in the war.He had then decided he had 3 options to Commit suicide, to drink himself to death or to serve God and live by Faith in Jesus Christ, He chose the latter, This is how he described the impact of hearing of the death of his son in an article I found on the internet.

                  Harry was performing in London at the Shaftesbury theatre. He spent part of New Years Eve 1916 at Tom Vallance’s place. Harry was tired and retired early to his hotel room in London.

January 1 1917 dawned and a loud banging wakened Lauder. He sleepily arose and saw a porter standing at the door with a telegram in his hand.

Capt John Lauder killed in action, December 28.

Official. War Office.

Harry was devastated.

‘I felt that for me everything had come to an end with the reading

of that dire message. It seemed to me that for me the board of life was black and blank. For me there was no past and there could be no future. Everything had been swept away, erased, by one sweep of the hand of a cruel fate.’

          That is exactly how I had felt.

           At the time of writing this article I don’t know whether 
           the crisis that I reacted to will be resolved with everyone reconciled and               happy or the opposite.               

                I do know that  MY LORD JESUS CHRIST AND HIS GRACE
                 AND LOVE WILL BE SUFFICIENT TO ENABLE ME 
              CONTINUE IN LIFE AS IT PROVED TO BE TO HARRY LAUDER.

I                 I have been re-visting everything I have learnt in my
 jou              journey of faith and  the postings on this blog are some of those 
 thi               things 

It is             It is my prayer that some may find comfort in these words.

Ge              Geoff Thompson  

A

G

      

Rivers of Living Water

The Bible tells us that if we are Christians,Christians who make Jesus Lord, rivers of living water will flow from us.
But--Just as a river does  not know what life it is giving as it flows we may never know the life we have brought  to someone else.
Jesus is offering Living Water to all of us as He did to the woman at the well in John Chapter 4.
No matter what our circumstances He can give us Living Water.
Jesus says Come to the water you won't be denied.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmcHovNjZOg

Chapman River-Kangaroo Island  Copyright Geoff Thompson

My dear wife Lesley has sung this at Baptisms. We have been married 41 years today. God is good.

This song below is also an invitation to Jesus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGgEvGsZuM0&feature=related

Adelaide Crows v Western Bulldogs 7/4/12

Scott Thompson emerges from the smoke with his two children on the occasion of his 200th game.

Kurt Tippett streches for a mark

Jared Petrenko snaps truly

Last night(Sat) I went with my mum to watch the Crows play the Bulldogs.It was a scrappy game that the crows were fortunate to win in th e final analysis.
It was Scott Thompson's 200th game for the Crows and once again he was high up in the statistics of the game.
Scott is no relation that I know of but somewhere back there,maybe as far as Adam, we would be related.
Anyway I took some pics and here are a few.
Used Canon 600d with camera set on P and auto ISO.Photos are straight from camera with no digital adjustments.
Game was under lights.

See ABC match report on link as under.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-04-07/crows-hand-dogs-second-loss/3938012?section=sa

In Search of Meaning-from the Wayside Chapel

Dear Inner Circle,

I once helped a woman with seven children escape domestic violence. She'd had years
 of beatings without mercy but in more recent times the children were also beaten to
the point where the woman chose to escape for their sake. On the day that I arrived
to enable the escape, two of the children were missing. The woman decided that the
 best course of action was to escape and seek to retrieve the other two children as
soon as possible. The husband was so enraged by the action of his wife that he took
 his five year old daughter to a river, put her in a bag that was weighted and he lowered
 the bag into the river. The little girl was drowned. I blamed myself. The bottom fell
out of my world. I'd been brought up to believe in God and my deepest, most pressing
 question was, "Where was God when this little girl was being lowered into that water?"

I spent some years being pretty cranky with the lack of answers that Christianity
 could provide whenever I faced unspeakable injustice. It was in a Good Friday service
when a massive penny dropped for me. I saw an image of a crucified man and
 wondered where was God. Bingo; I got it. I was looking at it. Suddenly I knew
where God was when the little girl was being lowered into that water.
God was in the bag. 

After my son died, quite a few people took me to lunch and provided an opportunity
 for me to confess that my faith had failed me. But at the centre of my faith is a
 dying son and a father, breaking his heart. My faith didn't give me my son back.
When my little grand daughter asked me if I could bring her daddy back,
 I had nothing for her. All I had was meaning. Meaning that required no reflection
 but only realisation. Meaning that empowered me to live as if every day since then
 was my last day. It loosened my grip on many things that I'd always held too tightly.
 I no longer cared where I lived or if people around me thought that I was doing a good job.
 I wear two watches. On my right arm, I wear my son's watch which, somewhere in the
first year after his death, stopped at one minute to midnight. I never replaced the battery
and yet the watch is always accurate. It reminds me that we only live for five minutes
and that I've only got one minute left. When I'm tempted to eat too much, drink too much,
 spend too much or if I'm invited to another talk fest, I look at that watch and ask myself
if this is how I want to spend the last minute of my life. 

So now I meet God every day in people whose world has collapsed; in those defeated
 by addictions; those who are mad after years of solitary life; in those who one way or
 another, are "in the bag". Sometimes it's a homeless person, sometimes it's a staff member
 and sometimes it's me. What appears to be God forsaken; that whose appearance is
judged and condemned; that which looks like desolate suffering, can be and is transformed
by love into the powerful presence of the Divine. The power to love is the power to
 overcome power.

Good Friday service at Wayside is at 10am and then all the local churches will 

combine in a procession through the main drag that we call, "the stations of Kings Cross". 

Also, Sunday, Resurrection Day, will be a hoot at 10am. 

I'm expecting hundreds of "out of office" replies as many will off on a break. 

Enjoy your Easter, rest up and stay safe.

Thanks for being part of our inner circle, 

Graham

Rev Graham Long

Pastor

The Wayside Chapel

Kings Cross

http://www.thewaysidechapel.com/

The Cross

Well Easter is upon us so time to reflect.
I have attached a Bible study on the Cross of Christ by Frank Hunting.
May the real meaning of Easter be real or become real for you this Easter.

See also the link below.

http://geoffthompsonsblog.blogspot.com.au/2009/09/cross-of-christ.html