Uni, Rowling and Africa

Here are my thoughts from tha last few days/weeks (in a very raw form, ok!)

Uni

Its always been about balance for me while studying at AUT...How much time should I give to what, how to make sure I'm in the right place, doing the right thing and at the right time. I have been putting a lot of time into church, Youth group and AUT Christian Fellowship this year (and last). But as Africa approaches I think Im gonna have to lean back in the service side of things...maybe. Vineyard Youth Camp was great, it was a get together of many youth groups from the north Island and it was just good to see God moving in young peoples lives. Was also encouraging as I got to fellowship with some other ppl my age who are a part of leading a youth group. Was great to pray with this one dude who was going through a hard time and spend a few hours talking to this guy. Bless God.
But balancing Uni work is getting more demanding and I must admit Im not really giving it the time it needs to get done -_-

Rowling

Don't read this unless you have read the last book of harry potter, or don't care if you kill the story for yourself as you will never read it.






































I finnished the last Harry Potter book on thursday, read it in four days, and I was quite affected by it. J.K.Rowling, the writer, planned the books very well from the very first book. It was always intended to be a series of stories with a climax and a whole lot of closure in the seventh book. Rowling took a lot of inspiration from C. S. Lewis' Narnia books, also seven, and she uses a heap of images and ideas from his books. Tolkien was also an influence, amoung others.
Now I have come against lots of christians who don't think highly of The HP books at all, and it is true in some ways it has encouraged witchcraft (though this was in no way Rowling's intention in the books.) She herself said "I believe in God, not Magic". She is also a member of the church of Scotland, attends church, and a believer. If you are interested in this point I suggest you read this interesting article:

here

It was written BEFORE the seventh book was written and is remarkably predictive. Now I don't agree with a few things in the article, especially that HP is the son of God. No of course he isn't and Rowling doesn't make him out to be, BUT he is a type (an archetype if you like) of Christ. He is like Jonah, an image in someways of Christ as the article goes into, yet decidedly not him. HP had flaws: He has anger problems, he makes bad desicions which hurt others, he can be stubborn and ignorant. He is obviously is not the son of God, but in some ways he is like him. He lays his life down for his friends, he can't help to love others unto death, as revealed in the last book. "No greater love is there that a man should lay down his life for his friends."
Rowling makes this especially obvious in the final book, bluntly obvious. She quotes the verses such as "where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" Matthew 6:21 and " the last enemy to be defeated is death" 1 Corinthians 15:26.
read it and tell me what you think, if you wanna.
___edit:
I've been thinking, and I may have been wrong in these words above. In many ways, if Rowling was truly for God's kingdom above all else, she would have taken a very different approach to her books, but especially how she communicates with the media. She is in the spotlight of the world, and in being so she needs to glorify God. Which she hasn't done. So I could be wrong in my assumptions.



Africa is looming over me, Im excited and nervous, but not very consciously. I don't notice it until I think about it. I can't wait!

adieus