Signs of the Times - December 2011 by Melody Tan

ISSN 1038-9733 12/2011

Santa:

bigger than

Jesus?

look great

this summer

10 ideas for a

happy Christmas Christmas caroller: Silvie Paladino

editor’s note

Contents

with Lee Dunstan

Signs of the Times—December 2011

cover 8

giving and sharing

22 32

or most people, Christmas is the best time of the year. And it’s like that for good reasons, most of which are less about what you get than what you give. Even as an atheist, Mark Twain could see value in Christmas, writing to a friend that, “The Christmas holidays have this high value: that they remind forgetters of the forgotten, and repair damaged relationships.” That’s getting close to the core of Christmas, for it is a time when people remember not only their loved ones, the poor and the lonely, but also our Saviour Jesus Christ, the Reason for the existence of Christmas. But in burdening ourselves with so much Christmas merrymaking, holiday travel, family visitors and shopping, Christmas can be difficult, which is why we can be thankful that it comes but once a year. We at Signs trust this issue will help you to have a happier and more meaningful festive season. It includes a number of articles on how you might do this, beginning with “10 Ideas for a Merry Memorable Christmas” (page 8). You might then read “The Family Reunion that Wasn’t” (page 28), to put the story of Christmas in context, then “Who’s in the White Corner?” (page 22), where you’ll discover the One who underpins it. But there’s much more good reading to be had and to share. Have a great Christmas with your family, and a wonderful, rewarding 2012. Happy Christmas! ½ Published since 1886 Signs of the Times is printed and published 11 times a year by the Seventh-day Adventist Church and is registered as a periodical. Executive Publisher: Neale Schofield

2 | Signs of the Times

Copyeditor: Tracey Bridcutt

Marketing: Lee Dunstan Website Manager: Melody Tan Email: signsmag@signspublishing.com.au Website: www.signsofthetimes.org.au

Graphic Design: Shane Winfield, Loopeck Lim

Publisher: S igns Publishing Company Warburton, Victoria 3799

Subscriptions: Jacinta Knight Phone: +61 3 5965 6300 Fax: +61 3 5966 9019

The inclusion of a personality or their image in Signs of the Times does not imply their endorsement of the Seventh-day Adventist Church or its beliefs.

Managing Editor/Editor: Lee Dunstan Associate Editor: Melody Tan

10 Ideas for a Merry Memorable Christmas Who’s in the White Corner? hat’s Christmas really W about—Jesus or Santa?

Silvie Paladino: For the Love of Singing Beach Bodies

features 13

“O Little Town of Bethlehem” How this famous carol came to be.

17 You Are What You Think 28 The Family Reunion That Wasn’t

familiar Christmas story retold. A

44 The Gift 47 56

et ready to get healthy this G summer at the beach!

columns

5 These Times

T ech It or Leave It

12 Food Matters

F ancy a Fruit Juice?

21 Our Times 37 Live More! S leep Tight

eceiving something valuable R doesn’t mean we have to hoard it.

43 Food Matters Recipe

Committing to a Cause

hat is baptism about and does W it matter at what age we do it? Reflections on the New Year As our lives enter a new chapter next year, we think back to a story that changed history.

What’s That in Your Mouth?

Subscription Rates: Australia, $A25.00; New Zealand, $NZ30.00; South Pacific countries, $A40.00 ($NZ50.00); other countries $A45.00 ($NZ54.00). For change of address: Please notify us four weeks in advance. Attach your old mailing label and send both your old and new addresses to Signs of the Times, Subscription Department, PO Box 201, Warburton, Victoria 3799 or in New Zealand, PO Box 97019, Manukau City, Manukau 2240.

Baked Pears

Bible Discovery

B aptism

DVD Review

K ung Fu Panda 2

55 Lifeguide

T ake Control in 2012

Book Review

D avid Crystal: Begat

Seventh-day Adventist Church (SPD) Limited ACN 093 117 689 Cover Photo: © Masterfile Royalty Free

VOL 126 NO 12

Signs of the Times | 3

Prophecy Is God fair? Focus on

These Times

with Geoff Youlden

How do you cope when bad things happen? Learn trust and hope from the ancient prophet, Daniel, who was tested in the most severe circumstances and delivered from death!

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home study series

To most of us today, the Bible books of Daniel and Revelation sound incomprehensibly strange and puzzling—totally unlike the books, magazines and newspapers we normally read. They are filled with fascinating symbols. The Focus on Prophecy home study series unlocks the symbols used to reveal prophecies written nearly 2000 years ago - prophecies that have come true and prophecies still yet to come.

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Email: applications@discoverycourses.com.au Internet Course: www.focusonprophecy.com.au Don’t miss this opportunity — POST TODAY!

Free Correspondence Lessons offer only in Australia and New Zealand. Brought to you by your local Seventh-day Adventist Church

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tech it or

A compelling and beautifully illustrated FREE home study series.

leave it

espite the proliferation of mobile phones and what is now commonly referred to as a “global village,” there are still about one billion people in the world who have never made a phone call or connected to the internet. Over two billion people do not even have reliable electricity. But this is changing rapidly. Take for instance Fort Portal, a town in Uganda, Africa. Their window on the world is the internet; surprising when you consider that

Nobody could have predicted just how quickly technology would advance— and bring with it fulfilment of Bible prophecy. Signs of the Times | 5

These Times with Geoff Youlden

power outages are frequent. But an American company has addressed this issue as well as Africa’s dry, hot, humid and dusty environment, which is often harmful to sensitive electronic equipment. They have developed computers with LCD screens that run on rechargeable batteries, which use about 16 watts (compared to the 150 watts needed for a typical desktop computer on AC power). Solar panels recharge the batteries and a Wi-Fi network connects them to the internet—and the rest of the world. Imagine how this has impacted the lives of these remote people. They can call a doctor even if they live in a small village a long way from the main cities. Western Ugandan banana growers are finding new ways to increase their yields. In another village, women have started a weaving cooperative for basket-making, which they are selling through an online organisation. And children now have a new tool for learning. n Some 2000 years ago, Jesus predicted that “this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14). If you read the statement even as recently as 20 years ago, you may have wondered how it could ever be fulfilled. There seemed to be so 6 | Signs of the Times

many insurmountable barriers to its unlikely fulfilment, such as the remoteness of the many people and tribes of the world. Jesus said the things He told His disciples are going to be preached, taught and accepted around the whole world, and that will be the final sign before His second coming. Consider the statement’s sublime audacity: to expand the Roman civilisation across the then known world had cost millions of lives and a fortune. To create any sort of market for a new idea or product involves vast advertising and expense. Jesus had no funds or machinery. His “organisation” was small, mostly comprising a few uneducated men and Jesus’ life ultimately ended on a cross. Yet today, we can witness the remarkable fulfilment of His prediction. n According to the World Christian Encyclopaedia, it is estimated that by 100 A.D., there were one million Christians in the Roman Empire out of a population of 181 million. This means that by the end of the first century, only about 0.6 per cent of the population were Christian. Today, 2000 years later, with nearly two billion (about a third of the world’s population) professed adherents worldwide, Christianity is the largest religion in the world. While no-one knows exactly how many Bibles have been printed, sold or

distributed, it is the best-selling book of all time. The Bible Society estimates that between 1816 and 1992, six billion were printed in more than 2000 languages and dialects. n Today the Christian message is being shared around the world, even in primitive areas. PNG is one of the least developed countries in the world. Around 85 per cent of the population live in villages and rural areas, making a living from subsistence farming, just as they have for thousands of years. Many live in extreme poverty— about one third of the population live on less than $1.50 a day. Of its population of 7.5 million, nearly half cannot read or write. The people have no access to the Bible through traditional means and the story of Jesus is unknown to them. But as a result of modern technology, that is changing, in fulfilment of prophecy. An example is It Is Written Oceania, an international Christian TV ministry, which is financing the Pidgin Godpod project to reach the people of PNG with the Christian message. The “Godpod” is a digital MP3 player just a little larger than a mobile phone. It contains the entire Bible in Pidgin, a language common to the people. The device is powered by the sun, so there is no need for batteries or cables. No moving parts are used, so it is ideal for the most

remote areas where access to repair shops is near impossible. The Godpod is also used in Africa, in places like the Kalahari Desert. Here the Kalahari Bushmen, who live in one of the driest and most isolated areas in the world, can listen to the Bible story in their own language, fulfilling prophecy in an ingenious way, since the Kalahari Bushmen are illiterate and have no written tradition. n This Christmas season, while we are reminded of Jesus Christ, born 2000 years ago in a stable in Bethlehem, we must not forget that very soon, He is going to return. He is going to come to earth for the second time—not as a babe, but as King of kings and Lord of lords. In discussing His return, Jesus also predicted an intensification of political unrest and the difficult times that would be caused by earthquakes, famines, pestilences and wars. However, He assured them, saying, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:1–3). Jesus is returning soon. He has promised. ½ Signs of the Times | 7

When family members get together for an extended period of time, chaos sometimes ensues. Karen Holford shares some tips on how to make a family reunion more meaningful.

ideas for a merry

memorable Christmas

ven with all the peace and goodwill in the world, Christmas can put a strain on your family relationships. There’s what presents to buy, what clothes to wear, what to eat, where to eat it and with whom, how to keep everyone happy . . . and, ultimately, how to pay for it all. Here are a few ideas to keep the fun in your festivities.

8 | Signs of the Times

simple feasts

Delicious food doesn’t have to mean long hours in the kitchen and not everyone enjoys a traditional Christmas dinner. It’s much better to choose an interesting menu that gives you plenty of time to enjoy being together. Barbecues, fondues, and making your own ice-cream sundaes, smoothies or pizzas, can be simple yet creative. Share the

catering load between family members, find ways to involve the children, share chores, buy sturdy and sustainable disposables and make meals as stress-free as possible.

presents of mind

Buying Christmas presents can be challenging, especially for big families. The Grants are experimenting with different ways of giving

to each other. Last year, everyone bought one gift for under $30 to give to another person in the family. Another year, they chose to buy interesting gifts for under $10 from op shops and car boot sales and used the extra $20 to buy toys for a children’s charity. Next year, they’re putting their funds together to buy a herd of goats for a family in Africa. Kaye buys two presents whenever Signs of the Times | 9

it’s someone’s birthday and saves one for their Christmas present. This spreads the cost and halves the shopping time involved.

a night at the Oscars

Add sparkle, fun and even a touch of glamour to your celebrations! Secretly assign each adult in the family to another adult and assign each child to their parent or carer. Then do some secret research to discover the greatest achievement of the year for the person you’ve been allocated. It can be funny or serious, but it must be something that they feel proud about. Then find or create a suitable “Oscar” for them, such as a cheap gift or a trophy made out of bits and bobs.

treasure hunt

Create a walking or driving treasure hunt. Mix families up so that people have a chance to work with those they don’t see very often. Give each group a map of the route and a list of the clues they need to find. Include simpler clues for the children and tricky or cryptic clues to challenge the adults. Design a circular route and start groups at different points, giving them all a common place to meet for a celebration meal or picnic. You could ask them to photograph the things they find or look for as many 10 | Signs of the Times

objects as they can on a certain theme. A family I know asked the groups to photograph the shapes of the letters of their surname, without using letters—so they had to find a H shape in a window or gate, or an O in a football.

world vision

Our family comes from eight different countries. Each of them shares their special Christmas traditions with us. Now we eat Danish rice pudding every Christmas Eve, even though we’re not Danish! Each year, try exploring the Christmas traditions of a different culture. Give presents made in that country, make decorations, eat traditional food or listen to their music. You could even dress up!

once upon a year . . .

When families haven’t been together for a while, it’s important to share your stories. Talk about the best things that happened during the past year. Or create a presentation of up to 10 photos from each family, asking them to tell the stories behind their pictures. If there’s been a death in the family or a difficult experience in the past year, find an appropriate way to acknowledge this. You could leave an empty chair, arrange a bouquet of flowers or collect money for their favoured charity. Check with the closest family members as to what they’d like to do.

what a performance!

Organise the children to perform an instant nativity play or pantomime for the grown-ups. This will keep the children busy for a while and entertain the rest of you later. Find a simple script and write it on little cards for the children to read, narrate the story while they mime or let them make up their own words to a familiar story as they go along. Gather any props and clothes, scripts and background music you might need, and provide at least one adult to support the children.

you’ve got talent!

Ask each family to bring one or two items for a concert, such as music, songs or funny sketches. Appoint one funny person to tell a few jokes in between the performances and make sure it doesn’t go on too long. Or bring along a karaoke machine.

team work

It can be loads of fun and really bonding to make something together. Work as a team to assemble a child’s activity set or playhouse, create a den from whatever you can find in the bush, or try making simple rafts from large plastic containers for a race on the lake. (Don’t forget your lifejackets!) Check out websites and library books for other team-building activities. You could also make

ice-cream together in a machine with a handle everyone can turn. Provide cupcakes or biscuits for the children to decorate. Bake gingerbread people, let the children decorate them to look like everyone in the family and then take a “family portrait” of their results.

holiday together

If you have a large family who don’t meet up very often, find a place where you can stay together for a few days. Our family hires a large house every two years and 20 of us spend a week together. Different families cook the main meal each day and we all make a different dish for Christmas dinner. One evening the teenagers made masses of pizza, ice-cream and mess! What’s most important is to decide what’s meaningful for you and your family. Choose activities that involve as many people as possible and leave you all feeling good about each other. Anticipate conflicts and stress-points and plan to minimise them. Being simply creative can keep your Christmases interesting, so that you all leave the celebration with happy memories and good relationships. ½ Signs of the Times | 11

food matters

with Consultant Nutritionist Sue Radd

Fancy a Fruit juice? Is fruit juice a health food or a glamorised, sugary drink? People don’t usually set limits on their consumption of juice, as it’s considered nutritious. But health experts are increasingly questioning whether fruit juice should lose its wholesome image.

kilojoules, and it may contribute to weight gain, especially in children. How many pieces of fruit does it take to make a glass of juice that you can gulp down in five seconds?

For thousands of years, humans drank mostly water and ate whole fruit. Juice on tap is a relatively modern phenomenon. Following years of concerted marketing efforts, we’ve come to view fruit juice with a halo. So what’s the squeeze on fruit juice?

◗◗ The acids in fruit juice can dissolve the enamel on your teeth. In fact, some juices are even more damaging than soft drinks.

pros ◗◗ Drinking some juice can assist you to meet your requirement for servings of fruit, which can be helpful if you don’t get enough fruit. ◗◗ Fruit juice is a good source of vitamin C, folate (folic acid) and potassium, and it provides a range of other micronutrients. ◗◗ Fruit juice is a better choice than soft or sport drinks, because juices can also deliver many types of diseasefighting phytonutrients like anthocyanins, catechins and phenols. However, there’s some bad news along with the good.

cons ◗◗ Fruit juice is high in sugar and

◗◗ The high concentration of fructose can cause diarrhoea, flatulence and bloating in people with irritable bowel syndrome. ◗◗ High intakes of fruit juice can raise the level of triglyceride fats in your blood—a risk factor for heart disease. ◗◗ Most commercially prepared juices lack dietary fibre.

what should you do? The best health drink is still water. It’s smarter to eat your fruit whole rather than taking the lazy juice option. If you make your own juice, you should add back the fibre or blend it with the juice into a smoothie. Limit regular fruit juice intake to one glass per day, especially if you are or your child is overweight, and drink it with a meal. See page 43 for a delicious whole fruit recipe.

For further information on healthy eating, please contact Sanitarium Nutrition Service AUSTRALIA: Locked Bag 7 Central Coast Mail Centre, NSW 2252 Freecall: 1800 673 392

NEW ZEALAND: Private Bag 92127, Auckland, New Zealand Freecall: 0800 100 257

O Little Town of

Bethlehem Victor Parachin tells us the story of Phillips Brooks, the man behind the well-known carol.

merican clergyman and author Phillips Brooks, the man who wrote one of the world’s bestknown Christmas carols, “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” was much loved by children. Though he was a famous man in his day and one who entertained prominent visitors from around the world, Brooks had a special affection for children. At his home and in his church office, he always had a supply of gifts for any little friends

who came by. The children, in turn, responded with great love and affection for the Boston minister. Born in South Boston on December 13, 1835, Brooks was the second of six sons, four of whom entered church work. His parents, William Gray Brooks and Mary Ann Phillips, were prominent Boston citizens. Brooks was baptised and raised in the Episcopal Church. He entered Harvard at age 16, where he excelled in languages. Upon graduation, he accepted a position in the Boston Signs of the Times | 13

Latin School, an institution he himself had attended. However, unable to manage a class of unruly teenagers, he resigned after a mere six months. After that experience, Brooks decided to apply for studies at the Episcopal Seminary in Alexandria, Virginia, to prepare for the ministry. Ordained a deacon in 1859, his first assignment was to the Church of the Advent in Philadelphia, where he was an immediate success as a preacher, attracting large crowds. Three years later, in 1862, he was invited to be the minister of Holy Trinity Church in his hometown of Boston. The 1.9 metre-tall Brooks was a powerful, eloquent preacher, who connected with his audience heart-to-heart. Brooks was also a staunch defender of the Union during the Civil War. When President Lincoln was assassinated in 1865, Brooks was invited to deliver a eulogy at the president’s Philadelphia funeral service. Before a stunned audience, he reminded them that Lincoln “vindicated the greatness of real goodness, and the goodness of real greatness.”

preaching with a difference A great disaster struck his congregation in 1872, when their church burned down. However, Brooks used the tragedy as the catalyst to reach even more people and build an even more impressive sanctuary. Church officials rented Huntington Hall, where Brooks preached to two 14 | Signs of the Times

packed audiences every Sunday. Five years later, he and his flock were in a newer, larger Trinity Church on Copley Square. Though highly regarded as a pastor and preacher, his critics were vocal, charging him with preaching “easy religion” to comfortable, affluent Bostonians. However, in spite of that, Brooks carried on. His preaching was vibrant and heartfelt, reflecting his own conviction that faith ought to be a natural part of human experience. He was widely referred to as the “prince of the pulpit.” However, in addition to being effective from the pulpit, Brooks maintained a productive literary influence. He published a number of books. His first volume of sermons sold more than 200,000 copies when it was released in 1878, making him possibly the first best-selling author of sermons. In 1880, Brooks became the first American invited to preach before the Queen of England at the Royal Chapel in Windsor.

restoring the soul In 1863, the nation was in the midst of the Civil War. Citizen morale was low and everyone knew someone who had been killed in battle. On Sundays, scores of women dressed in mourning black could be seen scattered throughout the sanctuary because they were grieving the death of a husband or son. Week after week, Brooks stood in

Statue of Phillips Brooks, by Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1848–1907), Trinity Church, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

the pulpit to offer words of comfort, hope and inspiration. When the war finally ended, Brooks’ energies were completely exhausted. In December 1865, worn out physically, spiritually and emotionally, he made a pilgrimage to Palestine, where he hoped to renew his spirit. On Christmas Eve, he distanced himself from the thousands of other pilgrims who had arrived in the Holy Land for Christmas. Unaccompanied, Brooks borrowed a horse and set out across the desolate desert exploring the land of Jesus’ birth on his own and with his own eyes. As the sun faded and the stars began to emerge, he rode into the village of Bethlehem. There he recalled the Gospel stories of Christ’s birth and encountered the true meaning of Christmas. Upon returning home, he told family and friends that his experience that evening was so overpowering that it would permanently be “singing in my soul.”

finding the words Although his Holy Land experience was powerful and formative, Brooks did not have the words to fully frame it. They came nearly three years later, in 1868. Anticipating Christmas, Brooks

wanted a new carol for the children in his church to sing during their annual Christmas program. This set him to reflecting on his ride across Bethlehem’s fields and standing at the church in the village, and the words came effortlessly into his mind. He quickly jotted them down: “O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie. Above thy deep and dreamless sleep, the silent stars go by. Yet in thy dark streets shineth, the everlasting light; the hopes and fears of all the years, are met in thee tonight.” Upon completing the song, Brooks gave a copy to his church organist, Lewis H Redner, and asked him to compose a simple melody especially for children. Redner, a gifted church musician and devoted religious educator, struggled to develop just the right melody. He made several starts. Finally, on the evening before the Christmas program was to be presented, Redner abruptly awakened from sleep, grabbed a pen and paper, and composed the melody that is so familiar to us today. It was an immediate hit with both children and adults. Other churches began using Signs of the Times | 15

the song, delighting worshippers who were enamoured by the words and music. Over the following six years, “O Little Town of Bethlehem” was the most popular Christmas carol in Philadelphia. Inexpensively printed as a leaflet, the song was used in almost every church during their annual Christmas service. Throughout his life, Brooks maintained a certain distance from church hierarchy, even expressing some disdain for the dryness of church administration and diocesan

you are what you think

activities. Nevertheless, he was elected as a bishop to succeed the Bishop of Boston in 1891. He accepted, but his term was short. Two years after his election, on January 23, 1893, he became ill and died. He was only 57 years of age. Redner always insisted that the song came to him as a gift from God. Though Brooks wrote several other Christmas and Easter hymns, only “O Little Town of Bethlehem” has survived the test of time and continues to be sung in churches all over the world. ½

quick facts about Bethlehem ◗◗ Has a population of around 25,000 consisting primarily of Arab Christians and Muslims.

Doug Batchelor points out that the world around us has more influence on who we are than we may think.

◗◗ It is located eight kilometres southwest of Jerusalem. ◗◗ The word Bethlehem is Hebrew and Aramaic for “House of Bread.” ◗◗ Christians regard the town as the birthplace of Jesus. ◗◗ The Church of the Nativity, built by Constantine the Great in 330 b.c., stands in the centre of Bethlehem over a grotto called the Holy Crypt. According to Christian tradition, Jesus was born in this grotto.

16 | Signs of the Times

Polka Dot RF

◗◗ The town is home to Bethlehem University, a Roman Catholic institution that was founded in 1973 under the direction of the Vatican and the De La Salle Christian Brothers. The school has 2800 students and is open to people of all faiths.

jcarillet—istockphoto

◗◗ In 1950, following the first Arab-Israeli war (1948–49), Bethlehem was annexed by Jordan. After the Six-Day War (1967), it became part of the West Bank territory under Israeli administration. Under an agreement reached in 1995, Israel ceded rule of the town to the Palestinian authority.

our brain weighs only about 1.3 kilograms, yet it is believed that its total information storage capacity is around 1000 terabytes. It would take more than 23,400 DVDs to store all the information that your brain is capable of holding! If you could put a price on your brain, how much do you think it would be worth? Thomas Edison had thousands of patents in Signs of the Times | 17

his lifetime. Around the time of his death, an economic analyst for the New York Times estimated that the brain of this notable genius was worth $25 billion, derived largely by examining the business interests resulting from Edison’s inventions. If you are anything like me, you rarely think about your thinking. For most of us, thinking just happens. Rarely do we focus our thinking as did Thomas Edison. But we should challenge ourselves to think more about what we think about.

a gift from God God gave us our brains and our minds, with attributes unique only to our species. Our ability to reason in abstract ways is perhaps the fundamental reason that sets us apart from God’s animal creation. And that is a significant difference because some day we will answer to God for what we choose to dwell on. “The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). So even if we can fool others with our so-called righteous actions, if we entertain sin only in our minds and enjoy the pleasures of those forbidden escapades with our imaginations alone, God still sees them. He knows where our hearts lie. And, as the wise man Solomon tells us, it’s what we think in our hearts that counts—that reveals the real person (see Proverbs 23:7). 18 | Signs of the Times

sinful thoughts Are we really that responsible for what we think? Well, yes and no. Certainly, thoughts tend to run through our minds as if they were on a conveyor belt. Sometimes we can’t help what we start thinking, especially with the blizzard of information coming in through our senses that our brains have to sort. But even then, we can choose what to keep in our minds for processing and what to discard. Jesus taught that we can commit murder and adultery in our minds (see Matthew 5:22, 28). He said, “The things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean.’ For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man ‘unclean’ ” (Matthew 15:18–20). Thus, according to Jesus, sin always begins in the mind. That’s why we can’t be indifferent about what we think. This doesn’t mean that when a tempting thought hits you, it’s necessarily a sin. There are times when we are unable to control the stimuli around us or the evil suggestions the devil may plant in our minds. If we quickly decide to reject the evil thoughts, then we haven’t sinned. But when we deliberately choose to dwell on the evil thought and to embrace it, it becomes a sin. As they say in flying, “Your attitude determines your altitude.”

When you adjust an airplane’s attitude—the angle at which the wings hit the air—the plane will either ascend or descend. In the same way, our attitudes toward sin will affect the “altitude” of our lives. If our minds are constantly dwelling on trash, that’s where our lives will go. If our attitudes are focused

upward, on spiritual themes, we will glide heavenward.

positive thinking The apostle Paul outlines the ideal for positive, pure and holy thinking: “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is

who are you? you are what you look at How do we become spiritually minded, thinking the thoughts God wants us to think? Part of training the mind is controlling the inputs. What we allow into our minds will affect what we think. It’s a question of focus and attention. Ultimately, we are what we think, and what we think about is largely determined by what we choose to focus on, what we choose to look at.

you are what you study Someone once said, “Show me what a man reads and I will tell you what kind of man he is.” Christians need to dedicate quality time each day to prayer and Bible study. Make this study time as important and regular as your daily meals. Job said, “I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread” (Job 23:12). Establish a library of inspirational books to read and songs to listen to. Good study is one of the most practical things you can do to change your thinking. Good Bible study isn’t just copious reading or constantly listening to sermon CDs. It requires us to mentally chew on and digest what we’ve read. As we ponder biblical truth, our minds will file away the thoughts and principles for future application. And Bible study and prayer must be combined with reflection and meditation.

Signs of the Times | 19

steps to better thinking So how can we lowly, selfish humans think the way God wants us to think? By letting God control our minds. How does that happen? We simply ask and believe. We would all think differently if we would remember the first great commandment: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). How do we love the Lord with our minds? I can tell you it isn’t by imagining a bouquet of flowers in God’s honour. Rather, it is telling Him that we want to think like Him, that we desire to have the mind of Christ. God invites us to think with His mind. We see a demonstration of God’s thoughts in His two great “books”—the Bible and nature. The 20 | Signs of the Times

our times

Bible can infuse our thinking with holy and spiritual thoughts. A new positive pattern of thinking is one of the best signs that God is transforming our hearts.

I am Superman

fall in love again It will certainly take effort to experience any change in our thinking, but God will help us if we ask Him. The renewal of our minds is a process that requires time. But we are commanded to eventually “demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). The heart is a magnet drawn towards what it loves. When we love the Lord with all our minds, we will find ourselves thinking about Him and what He desires rather than what the world desires. Only then can we bring every thought into captivity to Christ. We can’t make the miracle of conversion happen by doing good works, but it won’t come if we feed on what the world has for us to consume. Not a single atom of your body is going to make it to heaven, not even your brain matter. What’s going to go? Your thoughts, your character, which will be downloaded into a new body. So it really is important what you think about. ½ The article is adapted, with permission, from Who Do You Think You Are? Pacific Press®, Nampa, Idaho.

▲ scrolls online

The Israel Museum, Jerusalum

admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Philippians 4:8). Romans 8:6 promises, “The mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.” God wants us to be as positive in our thinking as possible, and He enables us to think positive thoughts despite our mental and emotional struggles. That’s what real faith is— thinking that God is with us in spite of what we are experiencing. We often talk and think based on our feelings, but our feelings don’t have to dictate what we think. It’s better to think and behave based on principles rather than on feelings.

The famous Dead Sea Scrolls, which contain fragments of most of the books of the Bible’s Old Testament, were first discovered in 1947. For many years, scholars have been able to view the scrolls only at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. A collaboration with

Google, announced last year, means the scrolls are now available online to anyone. The scrolls were photographed with an ultra-high resolution, 1200-megapixel camera, which is nearly 200 times more detailed than the average consumer camera. Google plans to make other scrolls available online in the near future.

For more than a decade, 35-year-old Herbert Chavez has undergone a series of procedures that have made his nose higher and slimmed down his thighs. He has had surgery on his cheeks, lips and chin, and injections to whiten his skin, just so that he can look like his idol, comic book superhero, Superman. He is planning further operations. SOURCES: The Christian Science Monitor; stuff.co.nz

120 years ago in Signs The women’s suffrage movement was alive and well in the US in 1891, where 23 American states had allowed women voters in school elections. The December 15, 1891 issue of SIGNS further reported that in New Zealand, a bill had passed the Lower House with ease in favour of women’s suffrage. “The legal status of wives, mothers and widows, has been greatly modified; education, selfsupport and opportunity have been accorded to women,” wrote a SIGNS contributor, a Mrs Livermore. hile recognising it will never be perfect till Christ returns, SIGNS W continues to celebrate any of society’s advancements towards a better world. And thus, as this year draws to an end, Alison Buckley looks at how we can experience a new way of life (see “Reflections on the New Year,” page 56). Signs of the Times | 21

? mas t s i r te Ch ut what a r b o e . t cel checks e tell us o n d we anners the Bibl l u o or sh Bruce M tion and e w i ld trad , y Shou r histo

w h e i t e h c o t r n n e r i ? s ’ o h w

hristmas has been taken over by Santa Claus. Sure, there’s the occasional recognition that Christmas is also a celebration of the birth of Jesus, but that gets lost in the battle for sales and the mad rush for that just-right gift. I’m no Scrooge who says, “Bah . . . humbug!” to Christmas. Far from it. There are many things I enjoy about Christmas. It’s the competition that’s

22 | Signs of the Times

been created between Santa and Jesus that troubles me. It’s become something like a boxing match. In the red corner is Santa. In the white corner (white seems somehow appropriate, rather than boxing’s traditional blue corner) is Jesus. The match is heavily weighted against Jesus during the Christmas season. Of course, you’ll find a sign here and there, a bumper sticker, perhaps, proclaiming that Jesus is the reason for the season. But come September, the world’s marketing people are

already introducing their Christmas campaigns. Shops are stocking up for what they hope is a rush. And Christmas music is dusted off. There’s so much attention to the Santa side of Christmas; so little about Jesus.

in the red corner Saint Nicholas of Myra (in Turkey), a fourth-century Greek bishop, became the Christian inspiration for Santa Claus. He was known for his generous gift-giving to the poor. He’s best remembered for presenting the three daughters of a poor but pious Christian with dowries so they

could marry instead of becoming prostitutes to support themselves. He was generally pictured as a thin, bearded man wearing bishop’s robes. The Santa Claus of today is quite different and along the way he’s picked up a variety of pagan, folklore and modern influences. The Charles Dickens’ classic, A Christmas Carol, presents Santa Claus as the “Ghost of Christmas Present,” who takes Scrooge through busy London streets on Christmas morning and sprinkles the essence of Christmas on its citizens. The Santa in the book and of that era

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commonly wore a long green coat. The 1823 publication of the poem “A Visit From St Nicholas” (better known as “The Night Before Christmas”) was a defining moment for Santa. Here he’s described as driving a sleigh drawn by eight reindeers that all have names. The sleigh is full of toys and lands on rooftops so Santa can climb down chimneys and fill stockings. He’s described as a “jolly old elf ” with ruddy cheeks like roses and a nose like a cherry. His health habits come into question because he’s a pipe smoker with a round belly “that shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.” This became the classic description and defined Santa forever. In 1863, a drawing of Santa by American cartoonist Thomas Nast appeared in Harper’s Weekly. It set the trend for the modern Santa, including the red clothing. So Santa is a fat, happy gift-giver who somehow gets down chimneys on Christmas Eve with a bag full of gifts—impossible, of course, in many of today’s homes that have no chimneys. He’s a cuddly character who is sometimes used as a threat to children to get them to behave. “Our jolly old Saint Nicholas reflects our culture to a T,” says Carol Jean Swanson in a 1992 edition of Mothering, “for he is fanciful, exuberant, bountiful, overweight and highly commercial. He also mirrors some of our highest ideals: childhood purity and innocence, 24 | Signs of the Times

selfless giving, unfaltering love, justice and mercy. . . . “The problem is that, in the process, he has become burdened with some of society’s greatest challenges: materialism, corporate greed and domination by the media. Here, Santa carries more in his baggage than toys alone!”

in the white corner A few Christians refuse to celebrate Christmas. They claim, and with good reason, that December 25 can’t be the date of Jesus’ birth. An obvious problem with the date is that it’s mid-winter in the northern hemisphere—too cold for shepherds to be in the fields. There’s no record of the true date and no consistency in dates suggested. For instance, around a.d. 200, Clement of Alexandria wrote that some people in Egypt celebrated Jesus’ birth on May 20; and a calendar of feasts from a.d. 243 gives March 28 as the date for the Nativity. The December 25 date is further discounted by the fact that this is the ancient date of the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere, which links it to paganism and the Roman celebration of Dies Natalis Solis Invicti—“the birthday of the unconquered sun.” However, the date is not nearly as important as the event, whenever it’s celebrated. The birth of Jesus, as presented in the Bible, is God’s

Thomas Nast has been credited with creating the modern day Santa with his Harper’s Weekly drawing in 1863. Previous depictions of Santa showed a thin, tall man.

greatest gift to humankind. Here’s how Jesus Himself described it: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). The apostle Paul described Jesus in terms that were adopted by creeds: “[He] made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” (Philippians 2:7). December 25 or not, this is something far bigger than Christmas.

Santa versus Jesus Red corner, white corner—who should win? Notice the attraction of both. There is an attraction in the wideeyed innocence of children at Christmas time and the act of gift giving. And there’s something magical about Santa, who is a doting grandfather figure. Then there’s the attraction of the Baby in the manger. At one level He’s part of the magic of Christmas—the story of the Baby born among the animals in the stable because there’s no room for Him in the inn. At another level it’s the

greatest demonstration of love the world has witnessed. Love enough for angels to sing; to have shepherds run to the stable; to have wise men bow low in worship. Their impacts differ. Santa has been moulded by marketers from Saint Nicholas the gift-giver into the saint of commercialism. He can’t separate himself from the shopping frenzy his appearance now encourages. Jesus’ message, His challenges and His claims, haven’t changed from when He first said them. “Love your enemies”; “Do to others what you would have them do to you”; “Noone can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again”; “I am the light of the world”; “I am the resurrection and the life”; “Go and make Signs of the Times | 25

disciples of all nations”; “I am coming soon.” Santa is about gift giving; Jesus is the Gift given. Santa drives sales; Jesus saves souls. Santa encourages selfishness; Jesus demonstrates selflessness. n An editorial appearing in the September 21, 1897, edition of the New York Sun responded to a question asked by an eight-year-old girl, Virginia O’Hanlon. Her friends had told her that Santa Claus didn’t exist. In his response, the editor said, “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. . . . How dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. . . . Not believe in Santa Claus? You might as well not believe in fairies!” This may make a good answer for an eight-year-old, but it wouldn’t work for her as an eighteen-year-old. There is no Santa Claus. The 1947 movie classic Miracle on 34th Street (redone in 1994), features Christmas-time events and involves those who do or don’t believe in Santa. It calls for people to have “faith” in Santa. Faith is defined as “believing what you know is not so.” That definition fits Santa. But it doesn’t fit Jesus. There’s no doubting His historicity. There was a real Person named Jesus born, who was in the real village of Bethlehem, who lived in the real town of Nazareth, who walked the real streets of 26 | Signs of the Times

Jerusalem and talked to real people. Significantly, the New Testament, which focuses on the life and meaning of His life, was written within the memory of those who knew Jesus. Having faith in Jesus is a faith that’s based on the life and teachings of a real Person. There’s a hope difference. The children who line up to tell their Christmas wishes have in mind December 25. That’s when they hope their wishes will be fulfilled. And even if they get their wish, it can be so temporary. Some toys don’t survive the day! The only things that Santa can promise are exactly that—things. Compare this to the words of the apostle Peter: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3). There’s no comparison. Finally, there’s availability. Santa only appears briefly in a store near you in December. And that’s for information gathering. He only acts on Christmas Eve. Jesus, the resurrected One, lives still. Ever living, ever present, He says, “I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20). That’s a promise. For one month of the year, Santa may dominate, but it’s no contest— not really. Not when you look at the evidence. The winner is in the white corner. ½

en Carson spent his childhood as an atrisk child on the streets of Detroit, and today he takes daily risks in performing complex surgeries on the brain and the spinal cord. From a man whose life dramatically portrays the connection between great risks and greater successes, here are insights that will help you dispel your fear of risk so you can dream big, aim high, move with confidence, and reap rewards you’ve $24.9.959) never imagined. (NZ$32

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Christine Miles retells an ancient story in a contemporary setting.

the family reunion that

wasn’t

28 | Signs of the Times

MASTERFILE

um? Joseph and I need to talk to you. Can we come to dinner tomorrow night?” Mary’s knuckles gleamed white as she clutched her mobile. She tried to keep the wobble from her voice. Joseph straddled the park bench beside her, reaching out to press his hand reassuringly against Mary’s back as a lone tear trickled down her face. “This will kill my parents,” Mary whispered to Joseph, as she slid the phone into her jeans pocket. “I can’t begin to imagine them believing about the angel and Dad’s going to get a hard time from the church elders.” Joseph nodded. When Mary had told him she was pregnant, he had wanted to run. Shame coursed through him as he recalled his cowardice—he’d thought of himself first, and yet Mary was so sweet and honest that he’d known in his heart that there was no way she would have slept with anyone. Still, it had been a welcome relief to have a visit from Gabriel himself. Mary’s mobile rang. It was her mother. “Dad and I can’t do dinner,” she said. “And we’re busy with meetings every night ’til next Thursday. Your news will have to wait.” It couldn’t wait. She wouldn’t wait. There would never be a good time to share her news. “Mum. I’m pregnant.” She had known her mother would be shocked, but the steady pip-pip-pipping of a disconnected call echoed hollowly in her ears. “She hung up.” Mary wiped the tears from her face. “My mother won’t talk to me.” “She’ll come round.” Joseph cracked his knuckles and stretched. “Come on, let’s go get some lunch. Things will work out. You’ve got me, I’ll look after you.” “And God,” Mary added. “Anything is possible with God, as we’ve already found out.” n Exhaustion swept over her when Joseph finally dropped her back at her apartment block. She’d read her emails, lie on her bed, read her Bible, pray and then sleep.

Signs of the Times | 29

There was one email. You abominable child, Mary read. How could you do this to your father and me? No doubt you’ve done a few calculations and think you’ll earn enough money to live off the state, but you won’t and your father and I will not support you or the child. I always warned you about older men, but you always thought you knew better. I wash my hands of you. No longer consider me to be your mother. Hot bile rose in Mary’s throat and she wished she had allowed Joseph to stay with her. But their policy had always been to avoid situations where they might be tempted to behave in ungodly ways and she really hadn’t considered that her mother might use the internet to express her outrage. Mary formulated her reply carefully. Mum, I am sorry to have hurt you. The Lord has found favour with me, and I am with child. I will give birth to a Son and will give Him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. I am the Lord’s servant. With love, Mary. The following day, a plane ticket came via courier. Foolishness! Use the ticket. Go and stay with Aunty Liz until you’ve sorted yourself out. Dad. n Three months later, Mary returned home. Joseph met her at the airport and held her tight. “Tomorrow we will marry,” he said. “I want to look after you and it is impossible with us living in separate places.” Mary nodded and gazed into his 30 | Signs of the Times

eyes. “I love you, Joseph,” she said. n Weeks later, Joseph threw the Weekend Herald to the ground. “You are not going to believe this!” he said. “The prime minister has declared that, to conclude the Year of the Family, every family is to participate in their own family reunion next month. All family members will be required to return to the area where their ancestors first disembarked onto this fertile soil. Hefty fines will be levied on dissenters. No-one will be exempt.” “Nice,” said Mary. “A family reunion and nobody wants to know us. And right when the baby’s due.” “And you know where my family landed, don’t you?” Joseph continued. “At the far end of the northernmost tip of the country. Even now there’s no airport, no hospital, no nothing. It was the middle of nowhere two centuries ago; it’s the middle of nowhere still.” Mary held a hand to her belly and laughed. “God will provide. Nothing is impossible with Him.” “God will provide,” Joseph agreed. “And God can do anything. We mustn’t worry.” But Mary could tell by the darkening in his brown eyes, by the newly grey hair, by the furrow on his brow, that Joseph worried. It was late and cramps creased Mary’s belly as the Volkswagen Beetle groaned to a stop outside the Wayfarer Motel. Five days of driving had exhausted them both and, while

they’d said they wouldn’t beg, Joseph had to swallow his pride. The baby would arrive within hours, his family had booked out the entire motel and somebody surely would have enough compassion to give them a room while Mary laboured. n The motel owner was firm. There was no vacancy. When Joseph asked the owner to take a message to his father, the request was met with a stare. “No-one here knows you.” “But my wife,” Joseph stammered, pointing at the Beetle. “My wife is in labour. I don’t know what to do, where to go. If it weren’t for this government family reunion business, we’d be at home with a midwife to provide care. You must help!” “There is no room,” said the motel owner again. “But if you go down this road, you’ll see a stable. Park outside it. The stable’s mostly empty but for my daughter’s donkey and you can sleep in there.” And while they were there, the time came for the baby to be born and Mary gave birth to her firstborn, a Son. She wrapped Him in a muslin cloth, tied blue booties upon His feet and placed Him within the rim of the spare tyre because there was no room for them at the motel. ½

why Jesus? After God created the world, He “saw all that he had made, and it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). Everything was perfect, including Adam and Eve—the very first humans—who were sinless. Unfortunately, that perfection did not last. The serpent (the devil) tempted Adam and Eve into eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the one restriction that God placed on them (Genesis 3:3). As a result of that transgression, sin, and with it pain, suffering and death, entered the world. “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return” (Genesis 3:17–19). However, God did provide an escape plan: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

* This is a contemporary telling of the story of the birth of Jesus, which can be found in the first chapter of the Book of Luke, in the Bible.

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With the Christmas season upon us, Lee Dunstan thought it time to talk to a veteran Carols by Candlelight performer of many years.

ince she stepped onto the stage in the 1987 Australia Day concert with Ricky May at Melbourne’s Palais Theatre as a 15-year-old, Silvie Paladino has established herself as one of Australia’s most versatile and talented entertainers. Although raised in a Christian home, something for which she gives credit for the values she holds today, Paladino hasn’t always lived in a close relationship with God. But since she took the first tentative step in her mid-20s—she’s just turned 40—she’s continued to live and work in an industry, where, as she puts it, “You’re not surrounded by people of like mind, and you’re constantly having to reset your eyes on God.” But how? “I remind myself of

what I want from life and what God wants of me. You can be very easily distracted in the industry.”

staying grounded Paladino gained recognition early in her career when, in 1989, she was offered the stage role of Eponine in Les Misérables, which for the then 18-year-old, was something extraordinary. Her ability was recognised and, in 1992, she went on to perform the same role in the London production. But stardom wasn’t ever something she aspired to as child or teenager, she says, in contrast to many of today’s crop of young talent, who crave fame and fortune in such shows as the X Factor and Got Talent franchises. While acknowledging the professionalism and integrity of such

Alex Coppel © Newspix

Silvie Paladino for the love of singing 32 | Signs of the Times

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performers as Guy Sebastian, she has a warning for young people, especially young Christians, wanting to take to the stage. Her advice is to stay grounded, warning that the shows can be vicious and “can do more damage than good.” “They go into it for wrong reasons—not for the love of it,” she says. “There are a lot [of Christians] in the industry and they somehow fall off, and it makes it hard for we who are wanting to maintain the Christian lifestyle. These shows are also dangerous for kids, because they go into them getting so much media attention yet [long-term] it isn’t like that. It’s impossible for a career to be forever in the limelight.” n Paladino’s Australasian credits include roles in Hair, Cats, Miss Saigon, Mamma Mia! and more recently The King and I, but her favourite and most pleasurable role was in Les Misérables, in which she also played Fontine, with its strongly spiritualmoral themes. “It’s a wonderful story,” she says. “But it’s difficult to do so many times a week. It is so emotive; Les Mis drains you emotionally as well as physically.” It was also the scene of her most embarrassing on-stage moment, when, in the lead-up to her big number as Eponine, opposite the late Rob Guest, she stepped onto the hem of her ankle-length coat while exiting the stage and, still in the spotlight, fell flat on her face. 34 | Signs of the Times

“I just lay there wondering how to make my exit. In the end, I did this caterpillar-crawl off stage. Not my best exit.”

a Christmas perennial Now happily married and with a young family that includes Christian, 11, and Isabella, 8, she’s cut back on performances, and especially touring. But something she can’t cut back on is the Christmas carols circuit, where she’s considered a perennial. And this year, in addition to a half dozen such appointments, she will be again on stage at Channel 9’s Vision Australia “Carols by Candlelight,” at Melbourne’s Sidney Myer Music Bowl, to which she donates her performance. She’s done it so many times, she says, that “I’m now just part of the furniture!” “This year the same thing will happen. They’ll pick us up in a limo, with the kids, I’ll do the show— and I’ll be nervous as usual, I get so nervous—then we come home and organise the tree and presents. Then it’s the family day after that. The whole of December is pretty crazy.” But it isn’t the accolades of her performance that she finds satisfying so much as the feedback from viewers, with whom she is able to share the truth of the spirit of Christmas—“the birth of Jesus and what He has done for us.” “To be able to impart my heart and what I know of Jesus to people who haven’t had the opportunity to

hear about Him, particularly in something so big, that is the most incredible gift to me, more so than anything else. I get to hear what people take from my songs that touched them and got them thinking about our Lord. People know about Christmas and Christmas trees, but they don’t know why they’re celebrating it. I feel it’s my responsibility to tell them. “I’ve been lucky, in that Channel 9 has gotten on board with me doing Christian songs on the program. (There was a time when they only did carols and they wouldn’t try anything different.) It’s ‘Christmas’ in that it’s talking about God, albeit not strictly a carol. However, the public have taken to it; now [Channel 9] just ask, ‘Silvie, what are you doing this year?’ ”

sitting right While being recognised as a Christian can be an advantage in the entertainment industry at Christmas time, it’s generally a hostile environment. “We’re not always surrounded by people who believe what we believe—the more clothes you take off, the better—so being part of it is difficult,” says Paladino. “I’ve been offered things that didn’t sit right on my heart. I pray about it; I talk to my husband, Greg, and my mum and sister, and try to discern if it is not only good for me but for others to see me in a certain light. “I once did a show that I struggled with, encouraged [by others] that it would be okay, when my heart was saying, ‘No, it isn’t!’ and I regretted it. Now I rely on my intuition and what God is telling me, not what people are telling me. How I perceive myself is important; I want to be seen doing only those things I believe in.”

relating to others Paladino says she has been able to share her faith with others in the industry, but feels it is prudent to wait to be asked. She likes to tell of the practicality and reality of her experience as a Christian. “I tell them I found the Saviour of my life and how wonderful He is and how He can fix everything and make

on her own Paladino loves Christmas, and in 2007 released a Christmas album entitled, Silvie Paladino—Christmas List. Her latest album is called On My Own, which unlike some of her others, she performs solo. The significance of the title, she says, is that for most of her time as an entertainer she’s sung as a stage character and not as herself. So On My Own is an expression of that. “It is me being me—Silvie—rather than a character.” With Christmas out of the way, she has plans to tour to promote her album. But with such a gruelling lead-up to it, the only Christmas gift she wants this year, she says, “is a holiday.”

Signs of the Times | 35

Christ

ecome newly B acquainted with Jesus through this little book, Steps to Christ. In just 13 short chapters, discover the steps to finding a forever friendship with Jesus. Read about His love for you, repentance, growing like Him, the privilege of prayer, faith and acceptance, what to do with doubt, and how to spend your days rejoicing in your best Friend, Jesus. It’s yours free when you send this coupon to the address below. In Australia:

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Live MORE! with Darren Morton

sleep tight N

Neustockimages—Istockphoto

Steps

everything new. I give examples— how it’s happened for me, and that it’s true. I’ve had many opportunities to tell people, and even brought people to church. Some have continued and some haven’t.” In fact, her own commitment to Christianity came about through the witness of other Christian performers, in particular when she was singing in the musical Miss Saigon. Being set in Vietnam, it featured a cast of Filipino performers, almost all of whom were confident and witnessing Christians. “They were just beaming with beauty, but not on the outside,” she says. “It was something else, and that intrigued me. They were adorable. One day I was with Joanna Ampil, and she played me a Sandi Patti duet ‘He is Wonderful’. I don’t know if it’s just because I’m a musician, but music is so powerful and a direct line to the Spirit, and that was the moment where I opened my heart and went, ‘I want this God in my life’. It was through a song, through a beautiful girl. So at age 30, I dedicated my life to God. He’s been a part of my life and my family’s life since.” n In respect to her obvious talent and success, she says, “I’m often asked, ‘How do you sing that song like that?’ But I have no idea—I just open my mouth and it’s there. I never really studied music much; I just believe it is something I was born to do. We all have gifts—mine is not more special than yours—and this is the gift God has given me. For me, it’s like breathing; I just love to sing.” ½

ext time you experience heavy eyelids, spare a thought for Randy Gardner. Gardner made his way into the Guinness Book of Records for going the longest time without sleep. How long do you think he lasted? Eleven days—or 264 hours to be exact. Being young, Randy bounced back from his lengthy period of sleep deprivation more or less unscathed, but it is well documented that not getting enough sleep on a regular basis can seriously compromise our health. Aside from the increased likelihood of concentration-related accidents, research indicates that our immune system begins to fail us when we go too long without shut-eye. At the extreme, rats develop sores and die after two to three weeks without sleep. For obvious reasons, the same experiments have not been reproduced on humans but we can all attest that we are not at our best when sleep is lacking. So how much sleep is enough?

The answer is quite variable but it seems that most people need seven to nine hours each night. Sleeping much less or more than this is associated with a reduced life span. If you are not getting enough sleep, here are some tips that might help: 1. Prioritise your sleep! 2. Keep a regular bedtime. 3. Avoid caffeinated drinks, especially in the evening. 4. Eat your evening meal and complete any exercise at least three hours before you go to bed. 5. Practise a bedtime ritual (it helps prepare your brain to gear-down). 6. Make your sleep environment sleepconducive by being noise-free and dark. Your bed should be the most comfortable place on earth. Sleep plays an essential part in wellbeing, so heed its call. Plan for a long night tonight. ½ If you’d like to talk to Signs’ life coach, Darren, email him at: signsmag@signspublishing.com.au

Signs of the Times | 37

Online personal trainer Andrew Cate shows you how to make the most of the great outdoors while helping to springboard your fitness routine this summer.

kupicoo—iStockPhoto.com

ne of the best ways to get in shape and have fun at the same time is to exercise on the beach. You can enjoy the fresh air, the ocean sounds and the sand under your feet as you build fitness and boost your health. Many activities require littleto-no equipment, and many you can do year round. The sand, water and waves provide a unique environment to train in and offer a great variation to your usual exercise routine. After you’ve burned off all those kilojoules, you can cool off with a dip in the water and leave feeling refreshed. Following are six fitness

activities you can enjoy the next time you visit the beach.

sand walking and running Sand-based exercise burns more kilojoules, because the “give” when your foot pushes down forces your body and muscles to work harder to keep you moving. And that “give” has a bonus. It provides cushioning that makes it gentler on your joints, especially in the soft sand. Vary your workouts between soft and hard sand to add variety. Depending on the nature of the beach, you can also jog in ankle- to knee-deep water to really get your heart racing. Even more advanced is to incorporate sand dune or sand hill sprints into your training, though this is

beach bodies

38 | Signs of the Times

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swimming While physical, swimming is also gentle on your joints. This makes it a great form of exercise for people who have injuries, who are overweight or pregnant. It’s also a great way to elevate your heart rate through short sprints or steady-state exercise. Water provides a unique form of resistance that can improve your aerobic fitness while toning and strengthening your arms, legs and trunk. You can alternate between freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke and butterfly, depending on your goals, level of skill and fitness. The beach also gives you the choice between swimming in still water, if there is an ocean pool, or in the open water, if you want a different challenge. If you are swimming in the open water, try to use a wider stroke with your arms, which helps with stability and also utilises the larger muscles in your upper back. Kicking is also important for stability by helping maintain a better body position in uneven water.

body surfing A variation on swimming that you 40 | Signs of the Times

can only do at the beach is body surfing. Riding waves on your chest is one of the most exhilarating exercises you can do and it requires little or no equipment, though flippers can be helpful. Because you have to swim fast to catch a wave, it’s like an explosive form of interval training. Spending time in white water is a good workout. You’ll also need to be swim-fit when you keep returning to the point where the waves are breaking. An important technique is to firm up your legs and trunk to make your body rigid like a board when you first feel yourself being picked up by the wave. Before heading out into the water, check for rips, rocks, reefs and other surfers, all of which are hazards to a body surfer. Start out in small surf to build your confidence and make sure to swim between the flags on a patrolled beach.

safeguarding your outdoor exercise While the beach is a great place to add variety and enjoyment to your exercise routine, it’s also a place where heat-induced illness, injury and dehydration can occur. Consider the following tips before beginning your summer workout. Drink plenty of fluid. Make sure you drink before, during and after you exercise. Don’t wait till you’re thirsty, as you may already be partially dehydrated. Little sips of cool water are best, while sports drinks are helpful if your activity is longer than 60 minutes. Schedule your exercise wisely. Try to plan your exercise or activities early in the morning or later in the evening, when the humidity and temperature are lower. Avoid the sun when it’s strongest. Slip, slop, slap. Follow the normal rules of sun care such as slipping on a shirt, slapping on sunscreen (30+ SPF is best) and slapping on a hat or cap. If you are sweating heavily, you may have to apply sunscreen more frequently. Know the signs of dehydration. Early signs of dehydration include thirst, lightheadedness, tiredness, grogginess, nausea and a cold, clammy feeling. If you ignore these warning signs, more serious symptoms may develop, including heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Take a break. It’s estimated that running three kilometres in the heat is equivalent to five kilometres in normal temperatures. Therefore, if you plan on going for more than an hour, you should schedule regular breaks for yourself. If you are exercising in the heat, do your exercises in shorter bouts. It may even be wise to postpone your workout or try a water-based activity if it’s too hot.

beach volleyball It’s a great way to get fit, burn fat and enjoy a dip in the big blue ocean afterwards. It’s an activity you can enjoy with family and friends while learning a new skill. Participating in a regular competition may also help you develop a higher level of unwavering commitment toward group activities than you would by yourself, which is great for your motivation. To get the most out of beach volleyball as an exercise, get involved as much as you can and push yourself

Wear suitable clothing. Wear as little clothing as possible to allow for greater heat dissipation. Choose clothes that are lightweight, loose fitting, light coloured (to reflect the sun’s rays) and made of a material that absorbs water.

graphicassault—iStockPhoto.com

certainly not for beginners. If you’re used to walking or running on harder surfaces, keep your initial sand workouts short. Sand-based walking and running puts extra stress on the Achilles tendon and calf muscles, so make sure to stretch before and after.

Here are some examples of muscle strengthening and cardiovascular activities you can perform at the beach:

Muscle strengthening exercises ◗◗ ◗◗ ◗◗ ◗◗ ◗◗

Push-ups Sit-ups Lunges Body weight squats Dips

Cardiovascular exercises ◗◗ ◗◗ ◗◗ ◗◗ ◗◗

Walking Running Sand hill sprints Swimming Star jumps Signs of the Times | 41

paddling Get hold of a rescue board, wave ski, surf ski or even a stand-up paddle board, and add paddling to your exercise routine. There are few better ways to train while enjoying the scenery and spending time on the water. It’s a great exercise to strengthen and tone your upper body while also strengthening your abdominal core, because your torso is heavily involved in the action of paddling. It’s also a great way to cross-train, 42 | Signs of the Times

with Sanitarium’s Nutrition Service team

baked pears

Preparation Time: 10 MINUTES cooking Time: 25 MINUTES Serves 4

Ingredients: ■■200 g mixed dried

fruit, chopped ■■½ tsp ground nutmeg ■■1 tsp ground cinnamon ■■1 tbsp brown sugar

beach circuits

■■1 tbsp water

If you want to build strength and burn fat at the same time, circuit training can be a worthwhile addition to your beach exercise routine. It combines a variety of exercises aimed at training all the major muscle groups while also boosting your cardiovascular fitness. By performing strength-training exercises with cardiovascular exercises in between, your muscles get a workout while your heart rate stays elevated, giving you a “best of both worlds” workout. For example, you might perform 20 push-ups, followed by a 2-minute jog, followed by 20 situps, then 2 minutes of swimming. You can adjust the duration and type of exercises you choose to perform depending on your goals, your fitness and the beach conditions. If you live near a beach by the sea or lake, these suggestions can help you stay fit while having fun! ½

■■2 large Bosc or Packham

pears, cored and halved ■■¼ cup chopped

macadamia nuts

Photomorphic—Istockphoto

a little harder each game. It’s a great way to add variety to your routine and in some ways you won’t even feel like you’re exercising. But beach volleyball does come with injury risks due to the short burst of exertion and lateral movements, which place extra demands on your muscles, ligaments and joints. So warm up properly, strengthen your leg muscles to better prepare yourself for beach volleyball, and be sure to stretch afterwards.

food matters

because you incorporate a variety of different exercises into your routine to spread the workload on different muscle groups. It’s estimated that just 20 minutes of paddling burns off around 500 kilojoules. As a word of caution, paddling can be dangerous in surf when the conditions are rough. Beginners are advised to develop their confidence and paddling fitness on days when the ocean is calm, or on still water.

Method: 1. In a bowl, combine dried fruit, nutmeg, cinnamon, sugar and water. 2. Put pear halves in a microwave dish, cover and cook on high for 2-3 minutes or until tender but firm. 3. Place pear halves on a lightly greased baking tray with the cored centre facing up. (You may need to slice some pear off the bottom to ensure it remains level.) 4. Spoon fruit mixture into the centre of pears and top with chopped macadamia nuts. 5. Bake in a moderate oven at 180oC for 20 minutes or until macadamia nuts are golden. Serve with low-fat ice cream or custard. PER SERVE: 1220 kJ (295 cal). Protein 2 g. Total fat 7 g. Saturated fat 1 g. Carbohydrate 51 g. Total sugars 46 g. Sodium 40 mg. Potassium 410 mg. Calcium 45 mg. Iron 1 mg. Fibre 5 g.

For further information on healthy eating, please contact Sanitarium Nutrition Service AUSTRALIA: Locked Bag 7 Central Coast Mail Centre, NSW 2252 Freecall: 1800 673 392

NEW ZEALAND: Private Bag 92127, Auckland, New Zealand Phone: 0800 100 257

ADRA’s world

Adventist Development and Relief Agency

Moku Momo (pictured far left) is now supporting not only herself, but her young orphaned relative with the money she makes from her business, thanks to ADRA’s training and support.

the gift

Moku now has the skills and confidence to make and sell clothing and food at the markets in Port Moresby. Moku and two ladies from her savings group show off their bright lap-laps.

Braden Blyde shares the story of a woman who, after receiving a lifechanging gift, refused to hold on to it.

Papua New Guinea

SOLO MON SEA

★

Port moresby CO RA L SEA

44 | Signs of the Times

ADRA Australia

PACI F I C OCEAN

oku Momo used to live on a financial precipice. She has no husband and no sons. In her Papua New Guinean society, which is reliant on and somewhat dominated by men, the absence of a male breadwinner cast a long and dark shadow over her existence. Life, quite literally, was hand-to-mouth. “I used to wonder how I was going to eat,” she says. She often visited local markets, selling taro and other root vegetables from her garden to earn some money. But the markets

were crowded and hostile. “Being a single woman in Port Moresby is hard,” she says. “Without my brothers and sisters I would have been dead.” She isn’t exaggerating. Moku’s brothers and sisters would pass on what little they could spare from their own incomes to ensure that she survived. This was life-saving, but also very disempowering and demeaning. Her confidence diminished with each day that passed, her spirit crushed by each desperate plea for hand-outs. “I felt guilty,” she says, eyes cast down. “I was only taking. I couldn’t give or share. I had nothing to share.” And when the local market was permanently shut down by police as

a result of ongoing violence, her one glimmer of independence, the one opportunity she had to earn even a meagre income, disappeared. “I would think about food and I would think about power. Sometimes I would cry.” n It was about this time that Moku and her sister-in-law, Ruby Jack, heard about free training being offered by the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA). They met with ADRA staff and other women from their community and learned skills in sewing, tiedyeing and cooking. They discussed how they could use these skills to earn a living and how, with small, consistent steps, they could save money and grow their businesses. This was Moku’s key to Signs of the Times | 45

ADRA’s world

Adventist Development and Relief Agency

independence! She joined with Ruby and four other women to develop business plans. With support from ADRA, they were able to start a small business in just four months. Moku now sells cakes, dresses and traditional lap-laps. While she still lives with her sister-in-law, she has a new sense of independence. She is active and confident. “The men used to say we would sit too much,” she laughs. “They don’t anymore.” But there is no sense of selfishness in her new found state. Within her dark eyes there is a visible sense that she sees what she’s been given—a gift she wants to share. n In 2009, Moku’s niece became seriously ill and passed away, leaving her young daughter, Jilla, in the care of Moku’s sister. Six months later, this caring sister drowned in a tragic accident at a nearby river. Sevenyear-old Jilla found herself without parents or anyone to care for her. Moku’s brother took the young girl in, but his finances were already

committing to a

stretched and while he ensured that she was fed, there was no way he could send her to school. With her new found income, Moku is making sure Jilla gets the education she needs. In addition to assisting other members of her family with day-to-day bills, she has the resources to ensure that Jilla’s school fees are paid up-front each term. Once reliant on others’ help, Moku is experiencing the blessings that come with giving. “Now I can help when they ask,” she says. “I want to share what I have. Now I can give more.” n The words of Jesus present a challenging thought: “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). This is a sentiment that echoes through every aspect of Moku’s life, from the support she provides to her niece’s daughter, to the guidance she offers other women in the circumstances she used to be in. She recognises that she has received the gift of life and that this gift must be shared. ½

cause

you can help ADRA Australia PO Box 129 Wahroonga NSW 2076 Phone: 1800 242 372 Email: adra.info@adra.org.au Website: www.adra.org.au

46 | Signs of the Times

ADRA New Zealand Private Mail Bag 76900 Manukau City Phone: 0800 4999 111 Website: www.adra.org.nz

Adventist Development and Relief Agency

Hemera—Thinkstock

To help ADRA assist those in poverty and distress, send a tax-deductible donation to:

ccording to a report on the Fox News website from July 2010, a group of American atheists held a “de-baptismal” service. Edwin Kagin, the atheist presiding over this ceremony, “blasted his non-believers with [a] hair dryer to symbolically dry up the holy water sprinkled on their heads in days past.” Kagin, whose personal website is full of antiGod rhetoric, believes that parents are wrong to baptise their children when they are young and unable to make an informed decision for

When it comes to decisions of faith, Seth Pierce argues we may have more in common with atheists than we think. Signs of the Times | 47

themselves. He calls infant baptism “child abuse.” One atheist present said his mother told him that at his infant baptism, he “screamed like a banshee. . . . So you can see as a young child I didn’t want to be baptised. It’s not fair. I was born an atheist, and they were forcing me to become Catholic.” I do wonder if as a child he ever cried while his parents “forced” him to eat or sleep, but that’s beside the point. The point seems to be that they were upset over a baptism they hadn’t chosen for themselves. Some friends of mine had an experience a few years ago with an evangelist who came to the boarding

school where they worked. Various faiths were represented at this school and the children’s parents entrusted them to the staff for their character development and academic growth. Unfortunately, the evangelist who showed up for the school-sponsored spiritual activity was pushy and underhanded in his methodology. He not only put the children on a guilt trip in his effort to get them to be baptised, but he baptised several children of different faiths without consulting their parents. Needless to say, the parents were not overjoyed at their children’s new-found faith! They sent emails, phone calls and letters to the school complaining about their children’s

baptism. They didn’t de-baptise them with a hair dryer, but they felt just as much angst as the atheists.

biblically speaking While I don’t generally side with people like Kagin, and think the hair dryer ceremony a bit juvenile, I do agree with him that baptising people before they can make a decision for themselves isn’t the right thing to do—not because it’s abusive, but because it isn’t biblical. Infant baptism is usually done by sprinkling water on the baby. However, there is no evidence of biblical support for baptising someone as young as a baby. The very word in Greek, baptismos, from which we get

our English word baptism, means “to immerse.” And in the two primary stories about baptism—the baptism of Jesus and Philip’s baptism of an Ethiopian man in Acts 8, both candidates were old enough to make an informed decision. We read that “as soon as Jesus was baptised, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased’ ” (Matthew 3:16, 17). Historians date Jesus’ baptism to around the age of 30, which is a lot older than many adults who

Bible discovery with Errol Webster

baptism “I wasn’t brought up in a religious household. My mum and dad decided to let my brother and me make our own decisions about God when we got to the right age. I started thinking recently, If I believe it is important to baptise my kids, why not me?” So said Oscar-winning actor Russell Crowe in an interview in Men’s Journal in December 2007. He was baptised (christened) with his one-year-old son Tennyson in a Byzantine chapel, built on his country property in Australia for his wedding to Danielle Spencer in 2003. How important is baptism and what does the Bible say about it?

48 | Signs of the Times

1. What Great Commission did Christ give His church? Matthew 28:19, 20 “ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” 2. How do we become followers of Jesus? Galatians 3:26, 27 “You are all [children] of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptised into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” Salvation is a free gift of God’s grace accepted by faith in Jesus (Ephesians 2:8, 9).

3. How was Jesus baptised by John? Mark 1:9, 10 “Jesus . . . was baptised by John in the Jordan. As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.“ 4. In the story of the Ethiopian, how did Philip baptise him? Acts 8:38, 39 “ Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptised him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away.” In classical Greek usage, the word baptizō means “to dip under.” It was used in the context of the smith tempering the red-hot steel and also “to dip in dye, to colour” (Wuest’s Word Studies From the Greek New Testament).

5. On what three great events of Jesus does salvation centre? 1 Corinthians 15:1, 3 “I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you . . . [which is] of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” 6. In what way does baptism by immersion symbolise and commemorate these three events? Romans 6:3, 4 “Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we Signs of the Times | 49

get baptised today. The Gospels also record Jesus as a boy spending time in the Temple asking questions about the Bible. Jesus had a spirit of exploration and He grew in wisdom (Luke 2:52). So obviously, by the time He was 30, He was well informed about the Bible.

the imperative When Jesus commissioned His followers to evangelise the entire world, He told them to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20). The key concepts here are to make disciples and to teach them. You

can’t be anyone’s disciple or teach them without some kind of study. Not only did Jesus clarify that discipling involves “teaching,” but He went on to limit the curriculum to “all” that He commanded. Considering that people are still doing doctorates on what Jesus said, there is a lot to be taught and learned as one contemplates baptism. We don’t need to know everything—no-one ever will—but we must at least have a basic understanding on what a relationship with Jesus is about.

need to know The story in Acts 8 further highlights how a “believer’s baptism” is to be carried out. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Philip was walking in the desert one day when he met an Ethiopian who was

Bible discovery with Errol Webster (continued) too may live a new life.” 7. How did Peter tell the people on the Day of Pentecost that they should demonstrate their repentance? Acts 2:38 “Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” About 3000 were baptised and joined the church that day. Russell Crowe said, “I do believe there are more important things than what is in the mind of a man. There is something much bigger that drives us all. I’m willing to take that leap of faith.”

50 | Signs of the Times

In the Bible, baptism is by immersion in water, symbolising our identification with Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection. As such, it commemorates the beginning of a new life in Christ (John 3:1–8) and the entrance into church membership (1 Corinthians 12:12, 13; Ephesians 1:22, 23). To do this, one has to be old enough to make that decision. While we may question the mode of Russell Crowe’s baptism (christening), you have to admire his public decision. Jesus calls us all to accept His forgiveness. Baptism is a public expression of that decision. Have you taken that step of faith?

reading the book of Isaiah. Acts says the Ethiopian was reading the passage that says, “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth” (Acts 8:32, 33). This man, like so many others, puzzled over what these words meant. So he asked Philip, “ ‘Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?’ Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus” (verses 34, 35). Upon learning who Jesus was, the Ethiopian requested baptism. The Bible says that Philip took him down to a body of water, and they both “went down into the water and Philip baptised him,” and then they “came up out of the water.” The obvious meaning is that Philip baptised this man by putting him under the water. While Scripture shares stories of children being dedicated to the Lord, baptism requires an informed decision by someone who consciously wants to commit their life to Jesus. Before we buy cars, we do research on makes, models and things like

fuel economy. Before we buy houses, we get a comparative market analysis, examine loan options and talk to the neighbours. Before we buy clothes, we try them on, and before we buy computers we try them out. In the same way, before we decide what faith we want to be baptised into, we need to spend some time exploring what we are committing to. It is sad that we spend so much time researching items that last but a few years and so little time on truths that impact our eternal destiny! The irony about Kagin is that his own son is a fundamentalist Christian pastor. The reason he gives for abandoning the lack of faith of his father is that he has experienced “a personal revelation in Jesus Christ.” The goal of all study in the Scriptures is to have a personal revelation of Jesus Christ. So whether you’re a Christian or are searching to discover the meaning of Christianity, study diligently. And when God impresses you to be baptised based on your study, then is the time to make a commitment to be baptised.½

* Seth Pierce is author of the book What We Believe. What We Believe, published by Pacific Press Publishing Association, is a 180-page summary of Seventh-day Adventist beliefs, written for young adults but readable by all ages. Available online for only $A17.95 ($NZ22.95) at www.signsofthetimes.org.au/offers.

Signs of the Times | 51

DVD REVIEW Mark Hadley

his month, just in time for Christmas, sees the DVD and Blu-ray release of Kung Fu Panda 2. Dreamworks has embraced the best of the 3D craze to create a film that is as beautiful to watch as it is amusing. Jack Black returns as the voice of Po, the overweight panda who became the legendary Dragon Warrior at the end of the first Kung Fu Panda film. In that tale, we were briefly introduced to Po’s father who inexplicably took the form of a Chinese duck. Now our gullible hero is shocked to discover he is adopted. What unfolds is a tale that is as much about parenting and identity

52 | Signs of the Times

as it is about the secrets of kung fu. The villain of Kung Fu Panda 2 is a peacock called Lord Shen, voiced by Gary Oldman. Shen threatens to end kung fu forever by introducing an age of explosive weapons. But it soon becomes clear that he is trying to somehow prove himself to his longdead parents. Likewise Po is discovering that his real mother and father were the victims of Shen’s earlier rampages. Whether they thought he was worth saving goes a long way to building or breaking his confidence. I can’t help wondering whether Dreamworks looked at the demographics of the Western world and thought it was time to shape a

dreamworks

kung Fu Panda 2 story-line around fractured families. Present or absent, both the good guy and the villain are assured that their parents truly love them. A wise old goat—literally, a goat—tells Shen that his parents loved him so much, “. . . they had to send you away, and it killed them.” Likewise Po’s adopted father wants him to not let his missing family overwhelm a bright future. “Your story may not have had such a happy beginning,” the duck says, “but look how it turned out!” I think Christians can get behind a film that promotes the idea of adoption bringing happiness out of a tragic situation. After all, every

believer begins their spiritual journey by entering into the family of God as an adopted son or daughter. Much of Kung Fu Panda 2 is devoted to the idea of inner peace and where it comes from. Po’s Master Shifu says that some people arrive at it through a great deal of suffering, others through accepting the truth. Po himself breaks free from his fears when he learns to turn his back on his history and embrace his new father: “The only thing that matters is what you choose to be now.” It’s not the Gospel, but it’s a good starting point for a conversation with your kids. ½ Signs of the Times | 53

lifeguide

with family life counsellor Trafford Fischer

take control in 2012 Q: A:

I feel as if everything is coming undone in my life and I want more control. Am I the only one to ever feel this way?

ot according to a recent report N from AustraliaSCAN, who found that 60 per cent of Australians are feeling a lack of control in their lives. This sense of being unable to keep life under control is seriously impacting their satisfaction with life. David Chalke, from AustraliaSCAN, suggests this is mainly due to the uncertainty stemming from external forces across multiple subject matters, and our inability to control them. For some it will be the uncertainty within the economy. Recent and ongoing fluctuations in the stockmarkets mean predictions about the future are unreliable and superannuation funds have had their value shrunk overnight, causing major heartache for many older Australians. For others, it might be the natural environment like storms, floods and bushfires. The floods in Queensland and Victoria this year were extreme, and the bushfires in Western Australia highlight just how close we may be to the next natural disaster. Constant leadership changes in state governments can also leave some people feeling uneasy, but so too, can everyday life decisions about

what to wear, how much to spend on food or where to go for Christmas holidays—there are so many choices to be made. Chalke believes these uncertainties are driving people to seek out the certainty of people, institutions and brands they trust. He says, “People are . . . shifting their focus to what’s most important to them—their life, family, their home—where they can be in charge. It’s imperative for people to regain some control, whether from what’s happening in the outside world or from somewhere closer to home.” So spending more time with your spouse, children or extended family, or losing a few of those extra kilograms, might just help in giving you the sense that you are still in control. You are the specialist in your home, and you can be trusted! Sure, you may not be able to do much about the raging fires in California or the spending habits of the Greek government, but you can take charge of your time and how you use that to enrich the lives of others. Wishing you all the best for some personal certainty in what might be another uncertain year! §

Questions to Trafford should be addressed to Lifeguide, Signs of the Times, PO Box 1115, Wahroonga NSW 2076, Australia Signs of the Times | 55

Now is the time to make New Year’s resolutions. Alison Buckley raises some questions that you will want to ask yourself as you contemplate them.

reflections on the

new year 56 | Signs of the Times

MASTERFILE

hen the celebrations and fuss of Christmas have subsided, many people gear up for the New Year, which is often another social time with family and friends. Amidst all the excitement and preparations, a sneaky but persistent thought can quietly enter the mind: What will my New Year’s resolutions be? Each New Year is like turning a page in the story of life. It’s a new beginning and the page is always blank. The new page is waiting to be filled with the next part of each person’s life story. The twists and turns of the plot of life can be complex, or they can be simpler than the average novel. The exciting thing about your story is in the here and now. The decisions you make, the circumstances, environments and people you encounter, all colour the images in your story. Will your story this coming year involve romance and adventure? Or will it perhaps follow more serious themes such as politics,

Signs of the Times | 57

making New Year’s resolutions work

ost New Year’s resolutions are new habits you want to adopt. Studies have shown that it takes about three months for new habits to form, so persevere even if you don’t see results after two weeks.

ake reasonable goals. Don’t set your expectations too high. Things don’t magically change when you swap an old calendar for a new one.

S F

ometimes it helps to start on one resolution at a time.

ind a friend to support you and keep you accountable. Even better if they share your resolution!

rite your resolutions down and put them in a place where you will see them regularly.

on’t simply rely on willpower. Instead, focus on the emotional rewards you will reap for changing your behaviour.

hy wait till New Year’s Eve? If you really want to change something, there is nothing stopping you from starting now.

58 | Signs of the Times

philosophy or religion? How will you engage with issues such as justice, success and failure? What will be your response to the darker side of human behaviour such as disrespect, abuse and robbery? What priorities do you want to set in your New Year’s resolutions? You might ask, “What do I wish others to remember me for this year?” It might be an admirable characteristic, a material achievement or both. On the other hand, what do you want to remember about yourself through this year? That you wrote your life’s pages clearly and concisely, with purpose and direction, or that you threw all possibilities into the wind and reacted to how they organised themselves? Other questions might be: Are there things to avoid, so that I do not make the same mistakes again? Are there areas of self-improvement that I can take note of as I compose the pages of my life story for this year? How will I go about realising these changes? In what ways do I want to be different and what do I want to continue in my story? As you write the pages of this New Year, will you be discerning about where you go and who you are with? How much time will you devote to communicating with the important people in your life? What will be the quality of the physical, mental and spiritual environments that will influence your story? All writers experience some dry times in their creativity when words just will not come. How will you make sure

that you stay on track and produce quality writing that will be sought after by a publisher for readers to enjoy when your life story is finished? Will your readers find your life story challenging and enriching?

Jesus’ story Two thousand years ago a unique human Being stepped into the blank pages of our human story—the Man, Jesus Christ. His story had been foretold in the Scriptures of the ancient Israelites. He communicated with these people and led them through many experiences and events. But few people recognised Jesus as God’s Son and many rejected Him. Jesus’ parents were a young woman and a carpenter, both from one of the poorest areas of Israel. He was born in a stable and greeted by shepherds. Later, in contrast, world leaders from countries to the East came to visit Him. Mary and Joseph had to flee by night to Egypt to avoid a death threat against Jesus by Herod, the representative of the occupying Roman forces. Sometime later, Jesus returned with His parents and Joseph taught Him the trade that would continue to support them. At age 30, Jesus left His job to heal and teach His people. Jesus’ sojourn on earth was an intervention into the plot of the human story that changed it forever. He was such a different character that He divided the populace

of His day into those who were for Him and those who were against Him. Not only did He impress everyone He met, He established a new community that would continue the changes He instituted. New themes in the human story emerged. Love to God and man were to be prioritised, as exemplified in Jesus’ own life. His sacrificial death to pay the price for all human rebellion and evil extended these themes. The community of believers grew. They followed His teachings and passed them on to all other nations down through the ages, writing them on the pages of the “Story of the World.” Quickly Jesus’ followers recorded as much as they could of His teachings, which have heavily influenced civilisations since. The pages that they wrote formed the testimony of those who had been with Him and the advice that He communicated to them about the rest of human history. In fact, Jesus described history before it happened.

back to your story During 2012, more than six billion stories will be written on trillions of blank pages. Yours and mine will be only two of them, but they are all precious in God’s sight. His hope still is that we will accept His great offer of eternal life in His kingdom. This is only the beginning of a new story, written around a neverending existence with Jesus in His perfect world. ½ Signs of the Times | 59

BOOK REVIEW

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with Nick Matiske

David Crystal:

Begat

his year’s 400th anniversary of the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible has brought a deluge of publications examining it from various angles. To this pile, David Crystal, often cited as the world’s leading expert on the English language, adds his slim volume, Begat. But Crystal’s book is not simply about history; rather, like Robert Alter’s recent, wonderful Pen of Iron, it demonstrates the depth to which the KJV is embedded in our language. For Crystal, the biblical phrase “of the making of books there is no end” is particularly appropriate. He seems to write books with the frequency some professors give lectures. He is a creature who loves chasing linguistic rabbits down holes, following every twist and turn of the burrow and ferreting them out. His method here seems rather simple and systematic. He searches through the Bible finding familiar phrases and Googles them to judge their impact (though there is, of course, more to it than that). There is nerdiness to his method,

60 | Signs of the Times

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but also humour: he comments that the phrase “every man that offered offered an offering of gold” would hardly get by an editor today, and writes, tongue-in-cheek, that the word begat “has even become a book title.” He comments on the KJV’s grammar and poetry, and suggests that many of its phrases linger because of their iambic rhythm, as in Shakespeare, the second greatest influence on the English language. Crystal’s conclusion, via his pedantic method, is that the influence of the KJV (compared to other English translations) is sometimes overplayed. But the cumulative effect of his method is to remind us how wide a foundation the Bible has provided for even our contemporary secular culture, and how loss of knowledge of the Bible, quite aside from any spiritual consequences, is also an immeasurable cultural loss. ½ David Crystal, Begat, Oxford University Press, 2010.

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We often make the mistake of putting strange food in our mouths, but as Kim Peckham observes, it’s not as bad as getting a foot stuck there.

what’s that in your

have heard people remark that small children are smarter than they seem. As the father of a nine-month-old, all I can say is “I certainly hope so.” We love our child dearly, but— how can I put this kindly?—I’m not seeing any pressing need to set up a university fund. For one thing, he seems unable to tell the difference

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between real food and objects that have no nutritional value. He has made serious efforts to eat a 749page copy of Les Misérables, a throw rug, an aluminium chair and a $20 traveller’s cheque. n They say that toddlers grow out of this stage, but don’t bet on it. My friend, Melynie, has a four-year-old daughter whom I shall call “Sally”

anyaivanova—Istockphoto

mouth?

in order to avoid any unpleasantness when she is old enough to hire a lawyer. On a trip to the beach, Melynie and Sally discovered a shop that offered “free” hermit crabs. Now these crustaceans were free in the same sense that elections in Zimbabwe are free. Melynie had to buy hermit crab food, a hermit crab cage and probably hermit crab medical insurance. Let us skip forward to the family’s return from vacation. Sally wants to get to know her pet better, so she tries putting the seashell in her mouth. It just fits. Then she sticks her tongue into the open end of the shell. The hermit crab does not recognise this as a gesture of friendship and grabs Sally’s tongue with its big claw. Pandemonium ensues. Sally starts calling for her mother, though her enunciation is severely hampered. “Mraugh! Hhhmm! Nnnaagh!” After several seconds of confusion, Melynie looks into her daughter’s mouth and finds the five-centimetre crab shell. Like any good mother, Melynie blames herself: “It never occurred to me to warn my children not to stick their tongues into hermit crab shells.” n I know it’s not fair to make fun of what kids put in their mouths, especially when even adults can be careless in this area. I myself had a bite of potluck casserole in 1985 that haunts me to this day.

The other evening, I saw a menu that listed “grilled baby octopus.” I wanted to find someone who ordered this particular appetiser, look them in the eye and ask, “Why?” Perhaps there are people in the world who have nothing else to eat. But our supermarkets feature 20 different kinds of pasta sauce. The situation is not so desperate that we have to eat slimy, bottom-dwelling invertebrates. Besides, I’m sure you can get the same taste from boiled okra. n Now would be a good time to make some pronouncements about the importance of eating right. But I won’t. I would have no credibility, because my own son would be delighted to eat an octopus if it ever came within reach. And secondly, because Jesus said it isn’t what we put in our mouths that makes us unclean; it’s what comes out of them. He’s right, of course. Whatever the health effects of eating a bacon double cheeseburger, there is more to regret from speaking hurtful words to a friend or family member. Those are the times that it would be better if, just for that moment or two, a crab got our tongue. ½ Adapted, with permission, from Stop Laughing: I’m Trying to Make a Point, by Kim Peckham, Autumn House Publishing, Hagerstown, Maryland.

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