I have a secret - related to a gift YOU will get for Christmas

 

Northofagus leaves 


I have a secret but I cannot proclaim it to the world YET  because the world is not ready for it yet
I do have a name for it though.

Relief from worry season  and real leaf  from worry season RFW
Which ever way you take it , you don't need to buy more expensive and useless tickets  to net zero to go to heaven 

No its detail is not something you know or  would have got from our PC scientifically illiterate and attention seeking noise makers 

And yes its about something you are likely to see on your Christmas  tree 
And yes its about something you and most others in  the world don't know or have overlooked 

You can ask me more about sequestration and the missing pieces of the leaf puzzle that have been muzzled 
The idea is that leaves have stoma and for eons they remind us that the earth is starving for CO2.
 
If you are a scientist  Look up Heaven and Earth by Ian Plimer  But please leaf any questions to me 
until after Christmas 

Peace be with you . 

RLW is  Perfect for advent when you worry you might say something at dinner that will cause people to fight ; 
Advent is a time when we can stop hanging it on each other , and if we do forgive each other and go on  celebrate the living working word of God ( Christians by Greg Sheridan  makes for great holiday  reading  ) 

Don't chase popularity

 It seemed almost imperative when we were young, but its the dumbest lead you can take .  Doesn't stop most people from falling for it ? 
Having a  change of heart and mind  over it as you get older takes some doing and many never sadly never do it  .

How does one do it ? -- a  change of mind is the best way to energize your heart 
A change of mind ( eg think "beyond nature" not "bound by nature"  )  is worth it , its worth it because chasing popularity wastes time and  means nothing . Your unique adventure is what matters .

Let me remind you the that the  earlier  you do it,  the better your life will be .
Don't wait till that face in the mirror tells you you are no longer cute . Its terribly late to wait till then to realize popularity means nothing .

Learn to build on the basics  Things that are true and metaphors that work
.As Jesus s said -  we are all like sheep ;  the best adventures for sheep are on the perimeter , not the centre where all the bleating and noise is . In the centre it is woefully plain , boring and misleading with fear messages coming in secondhand; you are not learning the precision you need to cut through in your own life . 

Let me  tell you my story . I could have been so cute and attractive by just changing a  little bit of my face, ( a few minutes work)  but I chose not to when i was a teenager  .  An odd feature  meant that I have  stayed a bit strange looking and so I tend to be pushed to  the background and have  accepted rejection and isolation in many areas of social engagement . 
I have never felt the need to change my decision because,  weighed up . the life of an outsider is one of the best , You get to be good at observing and that augers well for doing things well , writing building and inventing well and enjoying good writing and design  . I had one of the best jobs in the world where objectivity ( subjectivity of trusting the popular )  was essential ; I found a wonderful place in the world  that was beyond the wildest dreams of my teenage years - and i still love and get to practice that great profession , 
 You could say on the basis of my difficult and threatening  circumstances ( what nature  gives you to start with ) that I was even forced to learn what a wonderful thing it is to swim free - esp from peoples opinions ,
Whatever the herd mentality means it should mean madness to humans using their brains ( if not to animals )  Teenage years are  that time when you are likely to feel most isolated and the thought of your unique ness doesn't help you think you are much good help  or worth ).

I say make the most of who you are but learn to enjoy your uniqueness so you can really find your onw little place on earth before God calls you home.  There is a place on earth  and in your soul specifically made for you to occupy and enjoy so chase that biodiversity niche  idea for all you are worth .

You are unique - not meant to be a clone of your parents ( however much they would wish it) brothers or whomever hero  you spend your days tail ending for too long .   
Be yourself  Your resilience is dependent  not on what others do to you,or think of you 
but how well you adapt to your own unique  environment  

Dig deeper --

 Its natural and sound to challenge your parents and teachers  because  history shows even when when we know something good,  we don't always do good .
Two issues then
A. What we know and
B,  What we ignore and deny  
You may think that universities and academic groups know things but both of the above weak points exist in education. What those who worship academia dont realize is that their focus is often so tight looking down the microscope that they risk missing the  machinery of action.    
You may think that people with heaps of experience know things but with lots of broken families and broken and self serving institutions you would be wise to  be suspicious . People hide their failures- you can rely on that , The more apparent boasting and focus on "the other bloke "   the more you should be suspicious. 

I have both experience and education and can make sound land management risk decisions quickly. Once you dig deep enough you can find a FOUNDATION for decision making that doesn't leave those who rely on you farmers and developers. 
.
I know when to consult my professors and when to tell them the bottom line , I told them as a soil scientist to forget the  dreaming of politicians but increasingly they take the money and run , eventually eroding any respect between the three of us . You are on your own but once you realize that you can learn to be better at answering questions and be very good at what you do.
I will publish a response that shows how far politics can take us from professional competence in the NEXT POST . 

Celebrate AUSTRALIA DAY-- love your neighbour even if you don't always like them .

Trust Michael Leunig to settle the dust and the hype on Australia day.

What a great challenge he has given us to think through what it might mean to really celebrate our home together . What a great challenge to look forward to meeting our neighbours - whoever they are . It can hard though as we hardly know them . We shouldn't feel bad that we don't like each other , but Michael's call is the great and effective one from our past . Love thy neighbor as you love yourself

Love is not only the bigger and harder thing, its the best thing. Take the classic left right division

I don't like -many conservatives because most are too often comfortable with the status quo .

-the left powerbrokers of the moment because they think they know what is right , who is wrong and NOW think they can corral us with laws they make up as they go along .   Too bad I can at least think about love , and where to get it when I need some more.