The man who passes another and has no time to receive their smile lives in folly. For it is the wrinkle in that smile which shares wisdom, and any man who aquits wisdom forsakes growth.
- Reuben Leigh Skewes
Sunday, 26 April 2009
Saturday, 25 April 2009
freedom fighters
those with the courage to put their hand to the sword and join the fight against injustice will find themselves with companions in every corner of the globe.
- Reuben Leigh Skewes
- Reuben Leigh Skewes
Sunday, 19 April 2009
the wisdom of companionship.
It was getting late, Ryan had been hiding for over an hour. The barley grass made my ankles itch. I had run the field in circles too many times. Where could he be? His favourite hiding spot laid bare, not even a faltering blade of grass to give evidence of his presence. ‘Reuuubbbeeen…’ I head my name being called. I knew it was mother, she always came about now. The sun had hidden behind the hills and this meant it was time for me to come inside. ‘But I can’t find Ryan! He has been hiding for over an hour!’ I explained in exhaustion. Mum hugged me, smirked and said “Ryan went home an hour ago”.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Don’t you hate shallow friendships? A recent self-evaluation concluded that many of my friendships were somewhat shallow. As much, and no doubt more so my fault then anybodies. Don't get me wrong, many friends i have which i consider deep and worthwhile, but i find too many short lived and lightweight.
I believe strong friendships are vital in life. They set the platform; sway decisions, change views and either hinder or help you develop social skills that stand the test of time through life. It is obvious we were not designed to do life alone.
Having said that, have you ever thought of the origin of friendship? Where did it come from? What does it mean? Is it just a nice feeling, people you can do life with to fill the boredom, and help you when you are in need, or is it more then that? Does friendship have a bigger meaning and role then we realise? I mean not to question every part of life, but I think it imperative that we understand the important parts.
The word ‘friendship’ originates from a German word, ‘Freund’ which is very similar to the old Dutch word ‘Vriend’. These two words literally mean ‘Love’.
An obvious thought. Friendship is love… But then what is love?
1 John 4:16 says: “God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in Him”. A fairly straight forward statement. But what if we look at it like this? “God is friendship, and he who abides in friendship abides in God, and God abides in Him”.
Friendship is actually a cardinal part of life. A rock, a solid form on which one can build a life, career and existence. You could almost go as far as saying friendship is God in human form.
Another word for friend is ‘companion’. Your partner, associate, comrade, buddy & mate. Companion comes from an old French word ‘compagne’ Which literally means: ‘One Who Breaks Bread With Another’. Sounds vague and somewhat unusual. But not when you link it to the word Love and the Fact that God is love.
It says in Matthew 26:26: “While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and handed it to the disciples, saying, "Take this and eat it. This is my body."
So how do we apply that to our lives? Is it time to buy a bakery? Bake a few buns and pull them apart and give them to everyone we consider a friend? No! I love this verse in john 15:13 which tie the two together – ‘Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.’
The fundamental basis of friendship is that God loved us so much that he sent his son Jesus to break his bread/break his body so that we may live. This means friendship is more then trust and more then faithfulness. It goes further then loyalty. True friendship is the willingness to allow the relationship to be one of self-loss. Where you are willing to loose your life so that another may gain, putting yourself in a position of venerability, not in vain but with purpose and love, because it was Jesus who first showed the first sign of true friendship.
- Reuben Leigh Skewes
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Don’t you hate shallow friendships? A recent self-evaluation concluded that many of my friendships were somewhat shallow. As much, and no doubt more so my fault then anybodies. Don't get me wrong, many friends i have which i consider deep and worthwhile, but i find too many short lived and lightweight.
I believe strong friendships are vital in life. They set the platform; sway decisions, change views and either hinder or help you develop social skills that stand the test of time through life. It is obvious we were not designed to do life alone.
Having said that, have you ever thought of the origin of friendship? Where did it come from? What does it mean? Is it just a nice feeling, people you can do life with to fill the boredom, and help you when you are in need, or is it more then that? Does friendship have a bigger meaning and role then we realise? I mean not to question every part of life, but I think it imperative that we understand the important parts.
The word ‘friendship’ originates from a German word, ‘Freund’ which is very similar to the old Dutch word ‘Vriend’. These two words literally mean ‘Love’.
An obvious thought. Friendship is love… But then what is love?
1 John 4:16 says: “God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in Him”. A fairly straight forward statement. But what if we look at it like this? “God is friendship, and he who abides in friendship abides in God, and God abides in Him”.
Friendship is actually a cardinal part of life. A rock, a solid form on which one can build a life, career and existence. You could almost go as far as saying friendship is God in human form.
Another word for friend is ‘companion’. Your partner, associate, comrade, buddy & mate. Companion comes from an old French word ‘compagne’ Which literally means: ‘One Who Breaks Bread With Another’. Sounds vague and somewhat unusual. But not when you link it to the word Love and the Fact that God is love.
It says in Matthew 26:26: “While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and handed it to the disciples, saying, "Take this and eat it. This is my body."
So how do we apply that to our lives? Is it time to buy a bakery? Bake a few buns and pull them apart and give them to everyone we consider a friend? No! I love this verse in john 15:13 which tie the two together – ‘Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.’
The fundamental basis of friendship is that God loved us so much that he sent his son Jesus to break his bread/break his body so that we may live. This means friendship is more then trust and more then faithfulness. It goes further then loyalty. True friendship is the willingness to allow the relationship to be one of self-loss. Where you are willing to loose your life so that another may gain, putting yourself in a position of venerability, not in vain but with purpose and love, because it was Jesus who first showed the first sign of true friendship.
- Reuben Leigh Skewes
Friday, 3 April 2009
holiday christianity
Bam! You scream, growl and whimper. Hopping away in severe pain, your knee slightly jarred and your toe is trembling. Your hand is faltering and searching for a surface to lean and balance against. It was a nice morning. Mrs Scriven’s homemade fruitcake had complimented your tea nicely. You had dropped the wife and kids at friend’s homes and returned the late DVD’s. The sprinkler was watering the lawn and the morning was now yours to enjoy. Time to lie down, put your feet up, relax and not think, and you hadn’t, not until this toe stumping moment. Suddenly every discussion from last Christmas is vividly recurring in your mind. You had promised your wife several times that you would fix the skirting and move the cement bags from the patio renovations. But you hadnt done it and now you pay the consequence.
The entire 2 weeks before Christmas you worked so hard to extend the patio because the in-laws were invading the Christmas break. It seems to be the same every holiday. the family is coming, so you clean, extend, plant, remove and re decorate half the house. So much effort goes into the portrayal of a pain free existence. But behind the façade lives a somewhat normal and slightly dysfunctional family.
Why do we do this? Fake life. Give our best when others are observing, in the hope they admire our standings and surmise we are established, happy and complete. Are we scared of normality? or is it, we are unsure of what normal is? is it that we live a slightly complacent life and the only opportunity to break that complacency is with a renovation or expansion every 6 months?
I often wonder how many people live holiday-to-holiday, conference to conference, opportunity for prayer to opportunity for prayer in their spiritual lives. Never really using their given space, time and function to its full ability. Rather, they compartmentalise their spiritual growth into quarterly calendered dates, and the only time they work on their spiritual lives is when they are on show, when the pastor is coming for dinner or when they are meeting with their mentor.
I wonder how many DIY Christians are building without a permit, ignoring the given guidelines for life. Jumping from one quick fix to the next hoping it’s a short cut to their destiny. hoping that maybe this spiritual extension will give them enough buzz till the next opportunity.
I find it unusual that the only time we remember what we had promised ourselves those many years ago is when we stump our spiritual toe on the corner of the bench called life. The determination of a new years revolution to read the bible more, prayer longer and worship harder is short lived because the thought is easier then the action; Our promises to give more and love more is overwhelmed by excuse after excuse; Life is full, I was tired, the kids needed me, Oprah was on.
I don’t want Easter to be the first time I’ve worked on my spiritual life since Christmas and the last time I work on it before next Christmas. I certainly don’t want my walk with God to be a façade which I quickly clean and rearrange when the family is coming and it is on show.
I determine each morning to thank God for his new mercies and fill my mind with Gods Word and my heart with His Love. Every opportunity I have in my day I strengthen my foundation, I stretch my beliefs and I challenge my convictions.
If the entirety of my reality is based upon protecting my true identity, then i have missed my calling. Because my reality should be reflection of my identity. Strong, God based and forever fresh.
- Reuben Leigh Skewes
The entire 2 weeks before Christmas you worked so hard to extend the patio because the in-laws were invading the Christmas break. It seems to be the same every holiday. the family is coming, so you clean, extend, plant, remove and re decorate half the house. So much effort goes into the portrayal of a pain free existence. But behind the façade lives a somewhat normal and slightly dysfunctional family.
Why do we do this? Fake life. Give our best when others are observing, in the hope they admire our standings and surmise we are established, happy and complete. Are we scared of normality? or is it, we are unsure of what normal is? is it that we live a slightly complacent life and the only opportunity to break that complacency is with a renovation or expansion every 6 months?
I often wonder how many people live holiday-to-holiday, conference to conference, opportunity for prayer to opportunity for prayer in their spiritual lives. Never really using their given space, time and function to its full ability. Rather, they compartmentalise their spiritual growth into quarterly calendered dates, and the only time they work on their spiritual lives is when they are on show, when the pastor is coming for dinner or when they are meeting with their mentor.
I wonder how many DIY Christians are building without a permit, ignoring the given guidelines for life. Jumping from one quick fix to the next hoping it’s a short cut to their destiny. hoping that maybe this spiritual extension will give them enough buzz till the next opportunity.
I find it unusual that the only time we remember what we had promised ourselves those many years ago is when we stump our spiritual toe on the corner of the bench called life. The determination of a new years revolution to read the bible more, prayer longer and worship harder is short lived because the thought is easier then the action; Our promises to give more and love more is overwhelmed by excuse after excuse; Life is full, I was tired, the kids needed me, Oprah was on.
I don’t want Easter to be the first time I’ve worked on my spiritual life since Christmas and the last time I work on it before next Christmas. I certainly don’t want my walk with God to be a façade which I quickly clean and rearrange when the family is coming and it is on show.
I determine each morning to thank God for his new mercies and fill my mind with Gods Word and my heart with His Love. Every opportunity I have in my day I strengthen my foundation, I stretch my beliefs and I challenge my convictions.
If the entirety of my reality is based upon protecting my true identity, then i have missed my calling. Because my reality should be reflection of my identity. Strong, God based and forever fresh.
- Reuben Leigh Skewes
Tuesday, 17 March 2009
seven eleven.
Your day just like every other. Your drowsy shadow traces each step. Finally home, you trudge through the door and down the photo hung hall. A dimly lit tunnel of memories, a memorial to family friends and life. Your house, your home. A familiar sight, with an accustomed smell.
Feeding your hunger your sole determination. You grasp the cold steel handle and creak open the gateway to a chilled and fresh fulfilment, a cove of delight and satisfied cravings, your hideaway from reality. Food, your medication and sedative.
Your long drawn days and sequential late nights have shown lack within your fridge. No dairy for your coffee and no bread for your butter. Your spoon has too many times scrapped the underbelly of the blue ribbon box. And your quick fix chocolate draw is nothing but paper and wrinkled tinfoil.
You hit the ground running. 7/11 in sight. Suddenly your dreary day falls into insignificance, you need not care for your inner feelings because you know within 2 minutes your safe place will be bound by reach.
He stares at you. Like he does every time. A long bewildered look, like a possum in the headlights. A silent cry, beckoning, gasping, wanting and seemingly somewhat helpless. 3 times this week he has looked the same.
Cash in hand you look through his need at the Cadbury chocolate stand behind him. Blankly and without cause you portray your need. Chocolate and chocolate now. Wait you cannot for the sweet taste and the theobromine to hit the blood stream. He scans, you pay. Transaction over.
2 years you have frequented the 7/11. Milk, Petrol, Bread, Icecream & slurpies your weekly addition. Have you ever actually asked his name? Wondered who he is or what he does? Yes you have noticed he is somewhat unkempt, but aren’t we all at times.’
Yes, you have a life too, and he has never asked how you are, or what you do. So why should you even begin to enquire about his empty stares and dirty clothes. What are the scars on his wrist anyway!? What is he? Emo? You pick up your short term sedation bar. Time to go home, Neighbours is about to begin.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Quite the emo example, but prudent to thought. So many times I have neglected the need and want for 'life' from others and replaced it with the need and want for instant gratification for myself.
Too often i think we attempt to turn life into a soapy, a popcorn munching junket of visual indulgence and create life size drama from bite size chocolate bars. Yes the above story is made up and yes it is rather played up, but how easily is it adapted to our own lives.
I know personally the countless times I have every right to be self focused, keep my head down and burrow in self pity. but we are not called to do so.
I love that we can walk in alignment with the Holy Spirit. each moment of each day, an opportunity to listen, learn and to possibly change a life.
- Reuben Leigh Skewes
Feeding your hunger your sole determination. You grasp the cold steel handle and creak open the gateway to a chilled and fresh fulfilment, a cove of delight and satisfied cravings, your hideaway from reality. Food, your medication and sedative.
Your long drawn days and sequential late nights have shown lack within your fridge. No dairy for your coffee and no bread for your butter. Your spoon has too many times scrapped the underbelly of the blue ribbon box. And your quick fix chocolate draw is nothing but paper and wrinkled tinfoil.
You hit the ground running. 7/11 in sight. Suddenly your dreary day falls into insignificance, you need not care for your inner feelings because you know within 2 minutes your safe place will be bound by reach.
He stares at you. Like he does every time. A long bewildered look, like a possum in the headlights. A silent cry, beckoning, gasping, wanting and seemingly somewhat helpless. 3 times this week he has looked the same.
Cash in hand you look through his need at the Cadbury chocolate stand behind him. Blankly and without cause you portray your need. Chocolate and chocolate now. Wait you cannot for the sweet taste and the theobromine to hit the blood stream. He scans, you pay. Transaction over.
2 years you have frequented the 7/11. Milk, Petrol, Bread, Icecream & slurpies your weekly addition. Have you ever actually asked his name? Wondered who he is or what he does? Yes you have noticed he is somewhat unkempt, but aren’t we all at times.’
Yes, you have a life too, and he has never asked how you are, or what you do. So why should you even begin to enquire about his empty stares and dirty clothes. What are the scars on his wrist anyway!? What is he? Emo? You pick up your short term sedation bar. Time to go home, Neighbours is about to begin.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Quite the emo example, but prudent to thought. So many times I have neglected the need and want for 'life' from others and replaced it with the need and want for instant gratification for myself.
Too often i think we attempt to turn life into a soapy, a popcorn munching junket of visual indulgence and create life size drama from bite size chocolate bars. Yes the above story is made up and yes it is rather played up, but how easily is it adapted to our own lives.
I know personally the countless times I have every right to be self focused, keep my head down and burrow in self pity. but we are not called to do so.
I love that we can walk in alignment with the Holy Spirit. each moment of each day, an opportunity to listen, learn and to possibly change a life.
- Reuben Leigh Skewes
Tuesday, 10 March 2009
Sunday, 1 March 2009
Friday, 27 February 2009
the opportune moment.
I was stuck at a busy T-intersection. The sun bore down like a Greek orthodox grandmother. Stiff and heavy breathed. The seconds passed by slower then grains of sand through a clogged hourglass. My mind could not fathom the thought process of the person in the vehicle before me. 2 minutes of earnest waiting seemed like 2 weeks. Why she could not put petal to the metal and quarter the circle I know not. Every muscle in my body was tense. My fingers were sore from tapping, my upper lip cramped and my patience thinned. Every millimeter of my voice box ached from holding frustrated words within. So many breaks in traffic. It was like watching your baby sister play 'Frogga' on the 'Nintendo' your best-friends uncle gave you when he upgraded. You can see the gap so clearly. It is as though time slows and you are focused on the gap. You time it perfectly and you cross the road in your mind. But alas she cannot see the gap and yet again you wait another 2 minutes of seamless eternity.
Why do we get frustrated sitting at T intersections behind slow minded drivers, or deep down build rage when we miss the green and hit tomato red at the traffic light? Is it the diminishing time in our day? The adage of time is money and money makes the world go round. So to lose that time means you lose the money and your miscalculation at the lights makes the world stop spinning? Is it that we have become such a need and want 'right now' society that if we have to wait, it is not worth it? Is it that we rule our own lives so well we treat ourselves like royalty and expect the same treatment from others?
I believe not. I believe we try and circumvent our frustration by blaming it on time, blaming it on need or ego. If you were to remove time from the equation and destroy the inner wants of instant gratification, maybe take a step aside from what you need for one moment and look again at the T intersection scenario. The only thing left standing is opportunity.
As I sat behind the women at the T intersection, all that sat before her and I was opportunity. Gap after gap in traffic went past but she refused to seize the moment. I was not upset because she was wasting my time. I waste enough of my own time to blame it on her. The sole reason of my frustration was that deep down sense that inner whirlwind that need to see others successfully grasp an opportunity by the head and run with it. It is built within us all. The need for more. To grow. To change. To advance. so to witness opportunity after opportunity fall breathlessly to the ground hurts even the onlookers to a situation.
Humanity is built on individuals. Individuals within communities. Communities who work together for a common good. So to see another individual in absence of opportunity hurts the greater community.
When those before us miss their opportunities we miss ours. It took me a very frustrated 2 minutes in a hot car to view differently the concept of 'before you get your own vision, you must serve another mans vision'. I understand the concept very well having served other men’s visions for many years, but 2 minutes today shone a new light upon the old proverb.
I could not receive my opportunity to turn the corner until she accepted her opportunity. Here’s not to say we cannot make change and accomplish anything with our lives until those before us do, no, we must encourage those before us to take their opportunity. For each individual within the community is working for the common good. When one man flourishes we too flourish. So in helping her see the gap in the traffic. Giving my all to see her succeed I then was able to step up to the plate, having watched the traffic from another perspective, take my swing at the opportunity given and hit it out of the ball park as I had already guaranteed it in my soul having watched it pass second by second. The opportunity waited. It was now or never.
Why do we get frustrated sitting at T intersections behind slow minded drivers, or deep down build rage when we miss the green and hit tomato red at the traffic light? Is it the diminishing time in our day? The adage of time is money and money makes the world go round. So to lose that time means you lose the money and your miscalculation at the lights makes the world stop spinning? Is it that we have become such a need and want 'right now' society that if we have to wait, it is not worth it? Is it that we rule our own lives so well we treat ourselves like royalty and expect the same treatment from others?
I believe not. I believe we try and circumvent our frustration by blaming it on time, blaming it on need or ego. If you were to remove time from the equation and destroy the inner wants of instant gratification, maybe take a step aside from what you need for one moment and look again at the T intersection scenario. The only thing left standing is opportunity.
As I sat behind the women at the T intersection, all that sat before her and I was opportunity. Gap after gap in traffic went past but she refused to seize the moment. I was not upset because she was wasting my time. I waste enough of my own time to blame it on her. The sole reason of my frustration was that deep down sense that inner whirlwind that need to see others successfully grasp an opportunity by the head and run with it. It is built within us all. The need for more. To grow. To change. To advance. so to witness opportunity after opportunity fall breathlessly to the ground hurts even the onlookers to a situation.
Humanity is built on individuals. Individuals within communities. Communities who work together for a common good. So to see another individual in absence of opportunity hurts the greater community.
When those before us miss their opportunities we miss ours. It took me a very frustrated 2 minutes in a hot car to view differently the concept of 'before you get your own vision, you must serve another mans vision'. I understand the concept very well having served other men’s visions for many years, but 2 minutes today shone a new light upon the old proverb.
I could not receive my opportunity to turn the corner until she accepted her opportunity. Here’s not to say we cannot make change and accomplish anything with our lives until those before us do, no, we must encourage those before us to take their opportunity. For each individual within the community is working for the common good. When one man flourishes we too flourish. So in helping her see the gap in the traffic. Giving my all to see her succeed I then was able to step up to the plate, having watched the traffic from another perspective, take my swing at the opportunity given and hit it out of the ball park as I had already guaranteed it in my soul having watched it pass second by second. The opportunity waited. It was now or never.
- Reuben Leigh Skewes
Wednesday, 11 February 2009
Friday, 23 January 2009
blogger to published writer
I was honored when Kasey Mac Editor of Enhance Magazine gave the tick of approval for an article I wrote months ago 'Floating Rib Syndrome' to be Published in the current edition of 'Enhance'.
Totally unaware that she has even seen any of my writing I was very surprised when asked if they could run the piece.
So purchase yourself the latest version of Enhance Magazine and track down my story.
There is a possibility that they may publish more. This has certainly been a lovely opportunity and I look forward to the option of writing more and working with Kasey, Bel and the Enhance team.
Certainly a dream beginning to come to fruition!
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