Comments on: People Who Inspire Me

By: camharris

camharris — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:27:06 +0000

Kt, I do agree. And I do think there is major change going on. It seems a lot of the mentality that was poo pooed two decades ago (ie. noticedin my lifetime) are now quite a good idea. Those ‘flamin’ greenies’ are the ones who protected the trees that I enjoy today, the bum who went through the bins looking for cans now should be given a citizenship award, ’sustainability’ no longer refers to the amount of endurance one can demonstrate whilst shopping over a weekend.

When I was a young boy I used to think that ‘being a good steward’ only referred to anyone who was called ‘Stewart’. Now that I am older and a tad wiser, it requires a little more responsibility.

By: Katie

Katie — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 01:58:41 +0000

Sort of on topic, well, felt directed to write this anyway so am(!). I was praying this morning about the state of the Earth, and my place in it…that is my incredibly elevated, fortunate and prosperous place in it. I was saying to God how guilty I felt to live like I do, when so many don’t. Well, guilty is the wrong word really, more how AWARE I was of my overinflated status.

God spoke to me about his plan for the world. He said that what I have (and the first world generally) is only a shred of what he intended us to have. That the degradation we live in every day is revolting compared with what he intended. He said to stop feeling guilty for the world I live in, because it was nothing of what he wants for us, and a smidgen of what he wants for those who live in less.

He was saying that he is a God of creation (beauty, nature), and Satan is the destroyer. Satan can achieve nothing on his own. He works through human co-operation, generally we are coerced by deception. I suspect the deception of the First World is the consumer myth (I have therefore I am/buying makes me happy). Maybe/maybe not.

I think God is directing us back to his principles. That we need to identify the lies we believe in our lives, beliefs that are not Godly, and realign back with truth.

The lies generally form the very fabric of society – like consumerism – also career ego, need for money, need for status in the eyes of others etc. So to identify them it’s hard and takes time reading the word (the Truth). All of these lies are currently contributing to the destruction of people themselves and the world we inhabit.

I think that when we can clearly see the lies for what they are, then what to do with the truth will become more and more obvious. How to live in our society, and govern our community, will therefore be more and more obvious too.

Of course, I’m not there yet. Cam, all these ideas inspire me. I think things are weaving together across individuals to form a new picture. That’s usually how God does things, right?! Hate to write a sermon…feel free to disagree!

By: Melita

Melita — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 08:59:44 +0000

Well, well. I have to say the respect-factor only grows after that revelation … a little Hunter S. Thompson-esque if you ask me! Perhaps you’re the next Gonzo-journalist in the making…

By: Sharon Murphy

Sharon Murphy — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 00:38:22 +0000

I agree with Melita 100% by the way.
Maybe if you can’t physically contribute you can financially.
Sponsor a child with World Vision. I Know that my $50.00 a month is educting, feeding, clothing him and providing essentials to his whole community.
Maybe a family or a group of friends throw in a few dollars every month, just a suggestion.

By: sojourner

sojourner — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:43:25 +0000

Cam, interesting that you write about such inspiration. I could have written it myself – the way I’ve been feeling over the past couple of years. How do we move from being inspired to actually doing something? What should that something be? How far should that something go? What members of our immediate family do we pull into doing that something? These are questions I ask in my glow of inspiration and…yes…guilt…because I end up doing nothing much at all.

By: lynne warrington

lynne warrington — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 13:45:10 +0000

Cam, I don’t believe for one minute you would pull the wings off some poor butterfly.

By: cam

cam — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 08:37:06 +0000

Well thank you Melita. I can’t help feeling like I am bluffing a lot of people though. If you saw the whole picture you might want to shuffle me down the list a fair way. The beauty of writing like this is that I can stay at home drunk, snorting cocaine, gambling online and pulling wings off butterflies while naked women cook me deep fried mars bars as I wait for my white tiger pelts to arrive in the post.

But thank you, and the inspiration is indeed mutual.

By: Melita

Melita — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 06:09:40 +0000

Cam, at risk of sounding pathetically sentimental… and, well, just plain cheesy, I have to say that if I had a list of people who inspire me, you would certainly grace a spot somewhere at the top.

And not just because you have shown such amazing strength, honesty and determination through your journey of the last year.

You inspire me with the way the passions of your heart and the musings of your head are delivered with such frankness (and dry wit). It’s a gift not everyone possesses, but you’re one of the lucky ones. The way you write about the things you feel is inspirational to me, whether you’re delivering a remark about the state of our world and our politics, or simply reminiscing about musicians of yesteryear.

There, said it. You inspire me.