Family time was pleasant last night with a number of regular hiccups. It’s quite an ordeal to manage three energetic kids. Gareth has his spouts of reading mixed with sudden surges of excitement. Elysia skips more than she walks, so you can imagine what the future holds for her. Ewan cool and calm that he is always asks for the iPhone, he finger navigates it like a true native of the digital age. And my long suffering wife who might include me as the 4th kid or KIT in the family that sometimes drives her up the wall. Yet, in all of this we survive our dinners out, mini-wars at home, with interspersed moments which we know we will treasure forever.

* * *
As one who tends to be proactive, I don’t like myself put in a position of being reactive. It’s not just I hate the “I told you so” mode, it’s simply at times unnecessary. Energies are sucked in directions which could have been used to direct rather than swayed by the winds of other people’s expectations.

There’s no fool proof way to deal with this. We will need to react when provoked. A more softer way of saying it respond. However we say it, we will still need to pay attention to what to do after the act of another. Being proactive either allows us to set the tone, or at least invites others to come alongside and work together. This assumes our willingness to include others in this way.

I’ve discovered often in reactive situations, we are less likely to have the priority of working together towards a solution. The stress level is also higher. We’ll survive, since we always have. But, again it’s about the time and energy which potentially would have used for more productive endeavors.
* * *
It’s fun getting back to these random thoughts blog posts. I think it helps me slow down a little. Today will be one that’s going to zoom by quick.
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"FOR THE PAIN, suffering and hurt of these stolen generations, their descendants and for their families left behind, we say sorry." — Australian PM Kevin Rudd’s apology for mistreatment of aboriginal Australians, 13 Feb 2008

"We participated in things that were clearly wrong and have reason to regret and we apologize for them." — Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein’s apology for the 2009 financial crisis, 17 Nov 2009

"And I felt sorry, and I have felt bad about what happened." — Monica Lewinsky, 2002

Beg Your Pardon
When governments, leaders & individuals say sorry
Forum
Fri 3 Sep, 8.30pm
The Annexe Gallery, 2nd Flr, Central Market Annexe
Admission: Free of charge

SPEAKERS:
1. WHEN GOVERNMENTS SAY SORRY: by Ambiga Sreenevasan
2. WHEN CORPORATIONS SAY SORRY: by Sreedhar Subramaniam
3. WHEN COMMUNITIES SAY SORRY: by Edry Faizal Eddy Yusof
4. WHEN INDIVIDUALS SAY SORRY: by Leow Puay Tin

SAYING SORRY is first and foremost a personal act to initiate a journey of reconciliation and healing between two individuals. However, it is an act that also has implications beyond two private individuals. When leaders of communities, corporations and even countries apologize for the wrongs of the past, they also begin putting things right in the present in order to have a brighter future together.

The apologies quoted above have become historical milestones of recent history. We remember them because public apologies from leaders are so few and far between. So few in fact they often shock us into catharsis and tears, allowing many of us to move on from our hurt. But yet, we are aware of many more wrongs yet unaccounted for. Are there things for which our government, community leaders and public individuals have yet to apologise, thus preventing us from healing as a nation?

This forum aims to explore both the personal and public dimension of the act of saying sorry to facilitate greater thought in the respective spheres, and hopefully inspire individuals and larger groups to cultivate a culture of the willingness to make amends.

SPEAKERS’ BIOS:
AMBIGA SREENEVASAN served as the Malaysian Bar Council chairperson from 2007 to 2009. In March 2009, she became one of the eight recipients for the 2009 Secretary of State’s Award for International Women of Courage Awards. She is currently leading the Bersih Version 2.0 campaign and is a vocal activist on human rights.

EDRY FAIZAL EDDY YUSOF is a research fellow at Islamic Renaissance Front, an NGO that strides to engage in social debates and promote freedom of expression and religion, democracy and liberty. He has held a few key positions in the University’s Islamic society and actively writes for blog, tabloid and MMU’s "Risalah Jumaat".

SREEDHAR SUBRAMANIAM has almost 25 years of experience in consulting and senior management, about half of which was with a major international management consulting group. The remaining half has been in senior management positions within the media, business process outsourcing and information services industries. He is founder of The Malaysian Insider, currently the CEO of Good Times and a consultant with Character First!.

LEOW PUAY TIN is one of Malaysia’s finest theatre practitioners. She has written and performed 5 monologues – in Malaysia as well as in Egypt and Australia. She has also written a number of plays, including the popular "Ang Tau Mui", which have been performed in Malaysia, Singapore and Japan.

SAY SORRY DAY: Sun 5 Sep 2010
This forum is held in conjunction with the Say Sorry Day campaign. A collective of individuals and organisations are coming together to declare Sept 5, 2010, as Say Sorry Day. Everyone – in Malaysia and beyond – is encouraged on this day to seek forgiveness from and grant it to each other.

The inspiration for Say Sorry Day is a young Malaysian, Yong Vui Kong, who was only 18 when he was arrested for drug trafficking in Singapore. He is currently appealing for clemency, but he may still be hanged and not get a chance to redeem his wrongs.
His situation is extreme, and many people may not find themselves in the same situation. However, we all need forgiveness because we all do wrong; as the saying goes, “to err is human, to forgive, divine”.

To find out more about Say Sorry Day: http://www.facebook.com/saysorryday

Communio Garden: Bringing together Lutherans Worldwide

This would be a good place to start.

LWF Eleventh Assembly

Official Web site of the LWF Eleventh Assembly in Stuttgart, Germany, 20-27 July 2010

LWF Youth Message to the General Assembly

As usual the youth would have a pre-assembly, and this is there chance to speak into the assembly.

We address ourselves to the following different expressions of the global Lutheran communion:

• The Lutheran World Federation: Through the LWF the different Lutheran churches all over the world are connected, and are able to experience and learn from each others’ reality. This expression of communion is a powerful tool for advocating globally. We ask the LWF to hold an experimental, virtual meeting of executives during the next four years in order to explore the feasibility of using virtual meetings, thereby saving economical and environmental resources.

• LWF Member Churches: Churches are responsible for raising awareness and for the education of their congregations in their own specific contexts. This includes materials with practical advice on how to change lifestyles as well as theological reinterpretations in support of more sustainable and eco-friendly patterns. Churches also have a responsibility to advocate with governments, corporations and other relevant actors for social, economic and environmental sustainability in policy and practice. We ask members of the Communion to purchase and promote fair-trade and sustainable products. We strongly recommend that member churches only invest in ethical and environmentally-friendly funds and investments. We encourage active share holding advocacy. In addition, we desire the LWF and its member churches to investigate new banking options-specifically focusing on ethical practices (like low corporate bonuses and not rewarding greed) and sustainability practices (like not contributing to the financial crisis).

• 11^th LWF Assembly: We recommend that the Assembly adopt a public statement addressing greed and social, economic and environmental sustainability, food security in the context of climate change, and agro-ecological approaches to food production, distribution and consumption.

The Lutheran World Federation: LWFWeb’s Channel

Here’s the latest video they posted – Women bring sunlight at midnight!

LWF Eleventh Assembly’s photostream

For those who prefer photos, there’s lots everyday!

The Lutheran World Federation Assembly 2010 begins! 

And for something authentically in German check the next video

and one more video in English from the President of LWF.

Life stops in the face of death. Our pilgrimage on earth takes a needed pause in the light of our mortality.

That’s why I’m increasingly frustrated when I hear of news of people picking fights which ultimately is not about what’s eternal but centered on one’s ego.

Worse is when this preoccupation of either a hurt or bruised ego really Edges God Out from God’s ministry.

At times and for a season, it’s painful to be in touch with greater intensity situations where religion is abused or misappropriated.  It’s awful when pastors are the one’s being bullied by powerful people, it’s tragic when people under pastoral care is being whipped into insecure pastors. It’s painful because it turns into a “us” and “them” within a community where we promote “love” as the highest ideal.

Having said that, truth-telling must not be avoided as well.  Discipline is not out of the door, and “love” is a mushy fuzzy feeling word.  Nope, love is tough, Love honestly confronts the reality before us.  The danger that lurks at the corner is when we are tempted to “demonize” the other, that’s the greatest temptation that we need to keep watch over.  It’s a simple step into an abyss of self-righteous pre-judgment which won’t solve the problems at hand.

At the memorial tonight, it’s a time when everyone will pause and hopefully reconsider our priorities in life.  Sure, we shouldn’t wait until death confronts us before we reorder what’s primary and what is secondary.  But if we don’t even do it after paying our last respects to our loved ones in the coffin.  Then, we seriously need to check on how much humanity we have lost in this crazy crazy world.

There are fights we need to fight.  Some wars will be long and seems never ending. These battles need to be worth it and really meaningful.  But the fact is a lot of the one’s we are engaged in are a little more trivial and are unfortunately blown out of proportion.

When we got humanity in check, and have not lost our souls to “egoistic” ambition, or what Parker Palmer calls the “empty” self, we will be in a safer posture to engage in battle to real enemies, and real  injustices, and real forces of darkness.

Lord have mercy, there’s so much pain already in the world, and we’re called to be agents of healing.  It would be nice that we do not contribute in inflicting extra pain in the world (and in our faith communities).

Of course, that’s a hope statement.  We need to prepare for the worse, and looks like “ambulance” ministry is here to stay.  It hurts, but that’s the cross some will bear to walk alongside wounded soldiers who got shot by unfriendly fire.

For now, I’m off to a memorial and the focus will be to support the grieving church member and family. I can only submit those who are in struggling  and painful conflict situations either across the street or miles away, and pray for God’s mercy.