Cusp by Chantal McAllister.


On the cusp – venturing near the edge.
Teetering precariously, we waiver.
Our immigration pending, our hearts and
Lives in suspense.
Waiting for the official to seal the final step of
Our tedious journey.

Australia – Outback – beyond our wildest dreams,
Lays the promise of a new tomorrow.
The dawn of an unknown Northern Territory.
Salties and freshwater crocs – pursed in neat designer styles.
Shoes, bags and backyards reflect Aussie taste, style and pluck.

Bats, geckos and the hiss of the reclusive Taipan cursed,
Box o’ jellies floating venomously down current,
Roo’s rinse off the tropical heat and languor in the shade of a palm –

Sweltering degrees bleach the brilliant blue indigenous sky.
Clouds gather – roll, pitch, flatten, build then burst,
Welding large soft drops of soaking rain.

Refreshing drops of our saviour’s blessings pour down
On our “green backs” – as frilled necks: parched, open up
Their wide necked umbrellas to collect God’s promised showers.
Joy springs forth as the bright red soil soaks; reminding one
Of the glorious blood red stains of the old ruggard cross;

Transforming; perceiving anew – the age old redemptive plan.
Marching with hearts open:
To know our purpose amongst the tall, lean upright gum trees.

WHAT IS IT GOD? (That you want us to do?)
Crusty cakes of red earth mud formed; (– an antitheist to the white soft snowballs- we know);
In the rough childish hands of a curly haired indigenous boy.
How do we share your Gospel in this dry and thirsty land?

Are we the palm trees in this wilderness?
Spreading y(our) great arms of love out to others –
Affording shade to the emus and galahs?
Will this indigenous son call you “Father”?

Navigating the blue crocodile infested bay to Wagait Beach,
Or green swamp Black Jungle Pools,
Where beady eyed / ancient horned creature, lies in wait –
Attempting to stall or force salvation.

Share the Gospel;
Build a life amongst the gum trees;
Fish among the deep rural sea of faces.
Fisher of man, woman and child.

YOU know and we will follow YOUR call.

Preparing for the “Promised Land”: God’s extended Metaphor to you!


It is really important to be prepared: be like Josep Folta: He always is prepared and had his books ready for every class.

God knew that you would be going to university and so if we analyse God’s word ... we can see that the Promised Land is an extended metaphor ... God’s extended metaphor to you!

What is a promised land? (Well No, David Kang it is not an event that you have organised... no matter how much fun or cool it would be! )

The promised land refers to the land that God promised to Abraham and his decendants...the land of Canaan. So we can see that the promised land is “God given / God ordained”. So the metaphor of the promised land we can safely say in your case that it could be “University” - (.No the promised land is not shopping. Like .Euwen and Karin would like to believe..) Having said this, we can infer that you can’t go to the promised land in your case “university” without taking God with you.

1) Take God with you! (Be like Young: she has God on speed dial...)

You can’t physically take God but I mean you can and should take “ God’s dreams and desires for you and your life”. You should not take your dreams (they are often too small) (example) Joanne who allowed God to give her a BIG dream. Building a school in China is a big “God” dream.

God says in Jeremiah 29 v 11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Best you take God with you – as He has your game plan prepared! Just ask Bryan Kim and the other team captains about keeping the game plans with you!

2) Spend time with God: Before you go to uni and after you get there. Evie and CAROLINE

“ Be strong and Courageous” Find scripture Joshua



You are a similie: you are like sheep you know Sheep know their shepards voice; their shepard protects them; takes them to graze and gives them rest and water... but the sheep are clever because they know their master’s voice and follow him. (not the three wise men: Jason; John and Leo)



Get to know God’s voice; listen for His voice so that he can guide you...you have the time now: no more ee’s, ia’s, world lits, lab reports and presentations or CAS – so Just Do It! Spend time with God (learn the master’s voice.) (Susie you and I know how much you had to do this this year but it was well worth it!



3) Don’t complain about the manner: Tanner could easily tell us what the manner symbolizes (of good things God gives us: pillar of fire by night ; cloud by day) and food...see God’s provision in your life and at uni. Don’t forget to thank God for the good things and not complain.



4) There will be giants in the land at University: like the Isrealites experienced BIG GIANTS even you JACK WILL HAVE PROBLEMS BIGGER THAN YOU: problem will come your way at uni but know that God can and will help you overcome these giant problems! So stay close to your shepard.

5) As Joshua scouted out the land: you’ve done that already... checked out the university and some know your roommates even... But Josh did look for support and help: look for people who love God and can give you good godly advice; who will help you; who will hide you when you need a safe haven. Ask Chanho and Jason they have each others backs real brotherhood.

6) Follow God’s Instructions: the Israelites listened to God and defeated Jericho ... marched around it x 7 and shouted out loud... and if you know Abby, you’d know that she could destroy and build any wall. She leads and follows God’s instructions...and gets Andrew and David HK to do almost anything! When you use the opportunities God give you you will create fear in the hearts of the opposition: David Tusun and Tony and the other TCIS rugby team clearly know how to do this... Mr.Moimoi... at uni seize opportunities allow God to direct your path of study – be prepared to rise above the student apathy. Study when the others are messing around... Carpe dieum seize the day.

7) Be prepared to be used of God: Illyoon and TFT Allowed God to use them in Mongolia! So give your time back to God; to others and to your studies. Like Sumin be prepared to MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE PLACE YOU WERE PLANTED: SUMIN SINCE GRADE 2... was prepared to and allowed God to use her!

8) Be like Bryan Kim and actually like Joshua:

“Attempt great things for God and expect great things from God.

Lets wrap up and summarize perfectly like the Jenny’s and the Hannah do so well:

Take these to uni:

- Take God’s word

- Get to know God’s heart

- Listen for his voice

- Act on his will

- He will equip you and sustain you...

- His way leads to success!

- Be Strong like Swan and Courageous like Jean – take on the world and take hold of the Promised Land. Do no tremble or be dismayed – for the Lord God is with where ever you go.

"Sempiternal"


Isn't it Amazing?

How quickly the sands of time shift?
Yet a single grain can extend a sand dune -
Into endless meandering.

How our days, hours, minitues, seconds
run through the hourglass, with glee and
sometimes painfully slow.

Endless; timeless; forever?
Eternity do we really comprehend its
cyclic, spiral, entangled web of time.
Maybe "The Net" is another minuet reflection
of the infinity of eternity:
A way for humanity to access the magnitude
of the eternal...
Is not HIS world, universe and all created:
A way for humanity to grasp God -
our Creator's grand plan...

A way in which God delivers HIS message
of deeply profound love -
Through the perfect and imperfect.
The rabid; scornful; debase and
horrific...
Is it not once we have experienced these
that we see and understand real beauty?


Does not the sun rise and set set
proclaim HIS glory?

Does not science and knowledge
reveal God's truth?

Are we so blinded by our own (sic)
brilliance?

How can we not see the wonder of the
"Golden Ration" and "Euclidean Fractals"
in terms of ETERNITY?

Whatelse will we find that God already knows
but chooses to reveal to us in a drip feed?

"SEEK and ye shall find..."

HE has created us to be
"Sempiternal"

"Beyond Eternity."

The Hammer Drops

It will, and always does.

he labouriously lifts it up again -

Poised to strike;

Does he ever learn?

Toil, turmoil - suspended in time:

Fracturing the wood -

Driving the nail in deep through

HIS flesh - splitting bone -

Squelching through to the core.

Yet, there he is again -

Hammering in the sin of deception  and evil,

Steel shreds of our illgotten past.

Do we ever learn?

2000 years - he lifts the hammer,

Carves into the air a sharp blow,

As the figure of Christ arches up in LOVE -

The repulsive nail that humanity drives deep into

The sole of HIS feet -remains...

Splaying out the plattelets -

Thick, red, tender molecules of love.

Poured out for us.

he raises the hammer high behind his head -

Welding the sins of the world

On the abject hammerhead;

Matserfully crushing the pain- wraught

bridge of HIS feet.

Destroying sin; creating a new

Dialectic Scheme of Salvation.

A new glorious bridge between

GOD and man.

Deep within the thorned crowned head -

Rich life-giving eternal blood,

filled with grace and love

flows down and out, to a world fraught with sin.

It is finished,

It is done -

and always will be:

Sempiternal!

2010 and where is SPRING?!

It's so beautiful in Korea during the Spring,
but this year where has all the sunshine gone?
It is bitterly cold and we wait with baited breath...
Cherry blossoms frame the campus and hanji spiral skywards.
Fingers frozen to the marker in my hand as I scrawl the word:
IB DONE.

We stifle a tear and close the pages of Ayckbourne's
A WOMAN IN MIND: December Bee.
How ironic, a December Bee -
A symbol these nostelgic seniors now deeply understand-
DECEMBER BEE,  WILL WE?

As Nora, Linda, Eliza and Susan cloud the seniors thoughts...
We reflect on a two year journey - ending in self discovery,
Or a discovery of who we are in Christ.
IB EXAMS loom and prayers waft upwards-

One Question remains:
                              REMEMBER ME?
Or should it be REMEBER US:

THE SEMPITERNAL CLASS OF 2010.

Culture:


So here is the BIG question... WHO AM I? What defines me? Does my culture define me or do I define my culture? Am I a result of my faith or is my faith as a result of me?

It's totally complex while paradoxically simplistic! I am a person who is partially devoid of culture and yet completely transformed by a new growing culture.


I am a dying breed - a South African...

Yet when I came to Asia, many Asians expressed great surprise at me being an AFRICAN. "How come you are African?" they say. "Why are you not black?" - I even get asked this in my own country "How African are you?" (How black are you?)

I was born and bred on thick blood red South African soil - the kind that sticks between your toes - when you; as a child; are illegally fishing in your neighbours' goldfish pond. The kind of soil that labels you as 'the suspect' when being interrogated by a prejudiced society or neighbour. My label tattooed to me eternally; in every country, culture or society is: WHITE. I am a white South African. Until 1994 white South Africans were allowed to show their culture but a change in government (freedom for all as long as you are not a white); has forced an entire generation of South Africans to give up their culture.

Culture less?

I do not have a culture anymore - well at least not a white South African one! And soon I can say I'm Australian (we're immigrating); people won't ask why I am not black anymore - WHEW! Relief! No questions about colour means that I can go back to being colourless - a non-event- no longer responsible for black oppression and the destruction of my beloved AFRICA. But to gain this gift of "freedom" from culture - I have to leave my Motherland; the colourful world of my African culture.

How does one pry the thick blood red clay of Africa from one's feet?

                              Harder still is the wrenching of Africa's vibrant tribal vines from my heart
                              but the hardest ... is the extraction of my prejudicial weeds that constrict my mind
                              and creep into my psyche - destroying the glimmer of hope for fair "ubuntu'' in Africa.

Transformation...

So I am growing a new culture: my ETERNAL culture.

God knew that the culture into which we are born or chose to accept / acknowledge is not eternal. Culture does not last forever; neither should it define who we are... I'd be nothing then - invisible - colourless. Not even crusty blood red soil would stick to me. So somewhere deep with in my heart... actually beyond that cliche'... deep within my soul, He planted a minuscule seed of faith. He labelled it "Eternity" or rather "SEMPITERNAL" - hiding it for me to discover. I did discover it - it pierced through the darkness of culture - transcended the blackness in my cultural heart and drew attention to my neglected soul. Thus began my journey to eternity, I accepted Christ into my life at the age of four and my geriatric "long walk to freedom" commenced. I became transformed by allowing God to renew my mind - becoming and discovering that my form is Christ-like; only if my arms are stretched out to the world around me. I AM HIS IMAGE. I have a new culture - a godly culture. I am changed by the GRACE of God ALONE.

Maybe this video clip link will explain WHO I AM.

                                                               EVERYDAY.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GR7726x4LD4

IN CHRIST

Mrs.Mc.
An AFRICAN GLOBE TROTTER.

 Christmas 2009

TCIS HAS BROKEN GROUND! Follow this link to see God's promise and glory!

http://webuildtogether.blogspot.com/