LIVING WITH DISAPPOINTMENT

First, watch this. The skating here has got to be the best I have ever seen performed.



(http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=6QBtZc6En1g)

Chinese pair Shen & Zhao performed this wonderfully ...but were allegedly cheated out of the winning place by corrupt judges in 1999. Apparently that's nothing unusual in the figure skating world. (The "new" points system, I'm told, only protects the judges as they are now anonymous, as you are no longer told how the individual judges voted).

And concerning disappointment, view this

(http://www.e-water.net/viewflash.php?flash=irishblessing_en )

And if you liked that, be inspired by the rough beauty of the Irish landscape:



More on disappointment.

HELL

I read this today in Jim Wallis' new book Seven Ways to Change the World and I can't think of a better response:

Questioner, to Billy Graham on his last visit to Harvard:

'Since Jesus said "I am the way, the truth and the life, no man cometh to the Father but by me" doesn't that mean people from other religions - Jews and the rest - are going to hell?'

Billy replied, 'I'm sure glad God is the judge of people's hearts and not me! And I trust God to decide those questions justly and mercifully.'

The student was disappointed and pressed further, 'Well, what do you think God will decide?'

Graham demurred, 'Well, God doesn't really ask my advice on those matters.'

Shalom/Salaam/Pax!

Rowland Croucher
May 2008