Photo - Mark Tronson – Paranoid Pop
‘Paranoid Pop’ is the fun and games name my son gives whenever I expresses some caution over a seemingly everyday decision.
That reflection is part of who I am. I have always reflected on decisions and thought about them carefully and thoughtfully; sometimes too much, and at times too little.
My wife, Delma, is also a careful thinker and has given due consideration to family discussions and subsequent decisions all our lives. This has stood them in good stead as we are now grandparents, having raised four children to be sensible and wonderful adults.
Photo - Liana Monaghan, Delma Tronson and Jo Fuller young writer conference - realistic considerations
In recent months on social media has been an enormous amount of chatter on the perils of political correctness. Even our politicians have been on this band wagon claiming this or that was political correctness gone mad.
Christian writers including me over recent years have waxed lyrical on this subject. The problem is that it gets locked in with bureaucracies. Once that happens the seemingly only way to reverse is through the courts.
This is such an example.
Some years ago an over-zealous case of political correctness in England was reversed. Olive Jones, a supply teacher (relief teacher) who is a Christian, was removed after offering to pray for a distressed student. She was cleared of any misconduct and was invited back to the school at Weston-super-Mare.
Photo - Rev Simon Manchester, a hero of the faith
Who are heroes of the faith? I can name two. There are oodles of people such as these two who might be referred to as such. In my life time these are two of them.
My wife Delma and I initiated our faith financed sports ministry in 1982 in association with Heads of Churches, and like many other Missions, we raised our own funding for our living needs and ministry expenses.
In an interview on the Australian Missionary News IPTV, Delma Tronson said that when we moved from a secure income into faith financed mission, she laid her heart out before God, saying this was in His domain and trusted the Lord to provide .
Photo - “The Song of Australia” being sung by Delma Tronson and three others at ANZAC Cove, 1999
A question in recent weeks leading up to last Saturday’s Federal election related to veterans and considering the succour for those loved ones who died in service and those who returned with a whole different perspective.
Way back in 2012 - I wrote of this in Christian Today - Is there a true value or a relative value of our servicemen and women – it was rated as one of the Best of 2012 in Christian Today Australia, this was written: The nation can never wear the shoes of those who have witnessed battle at first hand. Moreover, military awards are inevitably relative and political. Many who should have received such acknowledgement never did. Perhaps no one saw what actually happened. Often an officer was celebrated for what his men achieved, at great risk and cost to themselves. They were the ones in mortal danger.
Photo - International’s editor Josh Robbie
1 January 2021 spells out a new year for Well-Being Australia and this would be a good idea for a new year article.
The first thing to note is the excitement of any church who plants a new congregation and to witness that new Christian work develop, expand and become established on its own two feet.
This happened mid year at the church we worship – Living Temple Christian Church (Tugun Baptist) (lower Gold Coast) who planted a new church at Coolanagatta and now a third fellowship at Banora Point just across the NSW border.
So too Well-Being Australia with its young writer ministry – Press Service International – PSI - who were awarded the Australasian Religious Press Association (ARPA) premier award in 2019 - The Gurenberg.