Romeo Alexander Thomas McAuley

Lisa and I had a baby boy this morning. So exciting!

Romeo Alexander Thomas McAuley will be a fantastic brother for Annamari. He was 9lbs7. Mum and baby are doing really well. Here are some photos...

Well Done Moss

Well done Moss Burmester on an outstanding 200m Butterfly final! Moss was neck and neck with Phelps for 150m before slipping back to 4th place. It was an outstanding race and he did New Zealand proud. Well done Moss and well done Michael Phelps!

The Olympics - More Coverage Than We Need

James MacPherson recently posted a short video clip advertising the benefits of radio coverage rather than TV coverage when it comes to the Olympics. It's quite clever. You can view it on his blog.

Top 5 Olympic Events I’d Like to Watch This Year

28 different sports will be on show at the Beijing Olympics this year, with 302 different events within the sports. What are the chances of the top 5 I’d like to watch being covered on TVNZ… in full… at a decent hour? Slim to none? We’ll wait and see.

My top 5 to watch…

5 – BMX; cool sport to watch at the Olympics.
4 – Taekwondo; this is full contact kicks to the head, even with safety helmets, knockouts are expected.
3 – Men’s Indoor Volleyball; awesome sport to watch, way better than beach volleyball
2 – Basketball; Hard to go past watching the Dream Team carve it up.
1 – Gymnastics; Individual All-Around Men, these guys have the most impressive shoulders in the world!!!

What would be your top 5?

Poverty vs Recession

The effects of the current ‘global recession’ are far reaching and inescapable. Without doubt ever increasing fuel prices are changing the cost of living; especially in regards to food. Again though, let’s not forget there is a major difference between a recession in the western world and 3rd world poverty.

World Vision in their Spring 2008 newsletter contrasts the impact of a ‘global recession’ on food prices for New Zealanders verse those living in developing nations.

In New Zealand…

- Food prices have risen by 8.2% in the last 12 months.
- Dairy foods, including cheese, milk and butter, are the main contributors to the price rise.
- Many families are cutting back on luxury items
- The average family income in 2007 was $67,993. Most households are spending 16% of their income on food ($10,878.88).

In developing nations…

- Food prices have risen by 100-200% in the last 12 months.
- Staple foods, including rice, grains and cereals, are the main contributors to the price rise. For many people meat, fruit and vegetables are either not available to buy or unaffordable.
- The average family survives on less than $730 a year and spends $511 of their income on staple foods. Some families are now spending their entire income on food and still don’t have enough to meet their basic nutritional needs.

Please don’t forget; a recession is not a famine and it is not poverty. we are blessed to be a blessing. Nobody can do anything but we can all do something. There are plenty of outlets through which you can give and make a difference in the life of someone who has nothing. Make sure you do what you can.

Recession !?!

Recession seems to be the major adjective used when describing our current economic climate. Global Recession is even bandied around from time to time; a phrase that seems overwhelmingly life changing and impacting, and surely only in a negative way? Without pretending for minute to be a financial or economic analyst of any sort, and without I admit truly having an understanding of what Global Recession means for the world, I’d still like to make some comments on ‘the recession.’

1. It is a privilege for us to be able to use words like recession.

And economy, downturn, exchange rate, share prices, capital gains and so on. In many parts of the word, where millions and millions of people live, these terms are not used in everyday language. Their vocab sounds more like extreme poverty, famine, drought, despair, hunger, sickness and death.

Please, let’s not confuse a recession with a famine.

2. Recession primarily impacts our wants not our needs.

I find it unlikely that due to the economic downturn that New Zealand is supposedly facing some of our citizens will now die from lack of food, lack of water or of exposure to the elements. Recession is something that impacts our wants not our needs. Maybe we won’t get to the movies as much as we’d like, head out for dinner at our favourite restaurant, or stay a couple of nights in a Hotel to ‘get away from it all.’ We’ll survive though, for sure.

3. Recession is a great opportunity for you to simplify.

Our lives get complicated so easily. A recession is a great time for you to simplify your life, what are the things that are most important to you, what do you get the most enjoyment and satisfaction out of? There are so many things you can enjoy for free in life, you don’t have to spend money to have a good time with friends, or in nature.

4. Recession is an opportunity for you to walk in faith.

When things get tight on your wallet we all have to cut back the non-essentials in life. Too many people see giving and generosity as non essential. Generosity, especially in the midst of what seems to be a lack, is one of the greatest keys to freedom there is. Don’t hold on tightly keep being generous. Cut back what you spend on yourself but don’t cut back on what you give to others.

Proverbs 11:24-25
There is one who scatters, yet increases more; and there is one who withholds more than is right, but it leads to poverty. The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself.