Category: Creativity

On the news whilst driving away this weekend, I heard a young girl being interviewed about a play she is performing in Margaret River, Perth.

The students are preparing for their performance of The Laramie Project, a piece depicting Matthew Shepard, a gay high school student in the US who was bashed to death over his sexuality in the late 90s.

The unfortunate part of this broadcast is these high school students have caught the attention of Westboro Baptist, a hate group from the United States of America.

This group will be traveling 17,000kms to picket a high school drama play and have been twitter hounding the students about their disgust.

I am appalled.

On behalf of anyone who is a follower of Jesus, I am sorry.

People who use their vitriolic stances to condemn and accuse others are in the wrong just as much as anyone or anything they are picketing about.

I am so over people making judgements, accusations, statements, debates and hard lines stances about issues that are in no way definitive in the bible.

The words of Jesus don’t even come close to excusing any of the behavior that is touted as encouraging accountability and change management.

The funniest part of this whole saga, is how the students responded to the hate mail from this supposed church.

‘thanks for the promotion of our show!’

This is who Jesus is…

Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to Him,

2and He began to teach them, saying:

3Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

5Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they will be filled.

7Blessed are the merciful, for they shall be shown mercy.

8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the sons of God.

10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.

12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

What he is not…

Someone who condemns, accuses, shouts hate and shame.

In fact he himself said to a woman who was about to be stoned to death for having an affair…

‘He who is without sin, throw the first stone.’

And every single person walked away.

Then he said this

‘I do not condemn you, now go and sin no more.’

Whether you frequently picket young high schoolers plays or not, whether you condemn people with your words and your speeches behind closed doors.

Please do not tell people He is something, that He very much is not…

I hurriedly packed my car, with little or no planning. Not because the weekend away was unplanned but life as I knew it creeped up on me and I found myself unprepared for what was to unfold.

Maybe that was the best possible way to rip this adventurous heart away from the necessity and responsibilities of motherhood and married life.

I threw my basket of crochet, my laptop, a couple of hoodies and a small selection of toiletries on the front seat. A notebook, a gaggle of pens, some scarfs and walking shoes were my companions.

As I drove away from my house, my very unplanned luggage taunted me, what if you have forgotten something?

Then my mature, adventurous personality took over and said ‘it doesn’t matter if you are in the same clothes for three days, you are retreating.’

I am in an undisclosed location, hours away from home, with two of my best friends.

We left early yesterday morning and drove for hours, to a holiday house on the beach and my heart is overwhelmed.

Countless of cups of teas and coffee later, two blocks of chocolate, a bottomless plate of grapes, cheese, nuts, cold meats and biscuits remains ever filled.

Our one goal.

To write.

Last night we opened up our hearts and talked, till we had no words left.

No social media.

No Television (although the football found it’s way to the background, as one of us is sports mad)

No children.

No husbands.

No expectations.

In our pjs at 6pm and we just talked.

We saved the world, we saved ourselves, we talked openly about what confuses us about people and plans and opportunity.

We encouraged.

We listened.

We preached.

We planned.

Today we woke up slowly and started the conversation again.

One with no boundaries, no judgement and more cups of tea.

Then a moment came, where we were all ready to write.

And that is where we are all located right now.

We need to create space, priority and place to write and process in our busy lives.

We need to create this.

As writers.

As creatives.

As innovators.

It is no one else’s responsibility to create this but your own.

If you need space, make it happen.

I can promise you, if you have taken time to read this far, you are longing for space.

Plan a retreat sometime soon.

Speak tomorrow

Amanda