Hi

Mac and Jack

Chilling out

This will definitely hurt

Ouch

Much of our time today was chilling out. We shared our most painful experience. Mostly stories were about being physically hurt, falling off play ground equipment, being punched in the face , etc. Some of it included emotional trauma which I can’t share in this blog.

It really is interesting that pain, whether physical or emotional, is a universal experience. We all suffer.

The world is crap

One student believes the world is mostly crappy. Global warming, violence, wars and the huge inequality of wealth throughout the world. He suggested that it would be good to redistribute wealth from the very rich to the very poor. Now I have to admit that I did the typical adult knock it down routine which I regret. It was great that the student told me I was too negative towards his idea. It is easy sometimes to knock down someone’s idea, or to point out its weakness without giving someone credit for expressing themselves. So this student taught me a very good lesson of taking it easy, listen to what is being said rather than pouncing all over it.

Hi

Used to get the word: Courage

Used to get the world: Life

Sam, Eve, Felix, Anthony, Yun, Saniy, Brian, Jack, Lachlan, Lucas Euan, Brian. Phew what a massive small group.

Speed Pictionary

Students were given the challenge of drawing pictures in a way that they could get their team to guess the word they had been given. Words like: Honesty, Wealth, Family, Music, God, Love, Courage, Freedom. Each of these are values. Most agreed that family was very important to them, as were their friends. And I think everyone would value their freedom even though we take it for granted. Rather than scanning their drawings I thought I would do something different. I’m going to google actual pictures of what the students drew to get their words.

Sharing

Giving and serving other is best

Students love Music

Many of the students value music. It helps them escape their troubles. Some enjoy not just listening to music but playing instruments. Everyone agreed that friends are super important. Having someone you can trust, someone that you can be honest and open with is very special. A close relationship is worth protecting by being faithful. The closer you get to someone the more vulnerable you have to make yourself and that can be painful if your friend hurts you, whether deliberately or by accident.

Values affect us

It is important to understand that our values affect us and in some cases control us. If we don’t value those who are different to us then we will not defend them, we will not help them and perhaps we might even fight them. If we value money more than people then this will make us greedy and heartless. If we value our own happiness too much then it can make us selfish, it make us use our friends rather than being a friend to them.

Jesus said

We didn't discuss this in the class so I'd like to share it here; Jesus said “It is better to give than to receive, it is better to serve rather than be served.” Sometimes we can feel down because we don’t have any friends or we can’t hook up with them. But it is possible to try to be someone’s friend rather than trying to have friends meet your emotional needs.

Hi

Our Sports Car

Eve, Felix, Sam, Anthony, Yun, Saniy, Brian

Lifestyle Auction

Today we broke up into our small groups so that we could, as a team, bid on different lifestyles. Each group was give $86,400 to spend. Below are results of the bidding (going from my memory) the choices we could bid on:

• Being an Artistic Genius: SOLD $3,500

• Being the owner of a sports car: SOLD $4,000 (Ours)

• Being a Millionaire: SOLD $15,000 (Ours)

• Having power over people: SOLD $10,000 (Ours)

• Being a famous Actor/Movie star: SOLD $16,0000

• Being a top sports athlete: SOLD $15,000

Actually this guy is a billianare

• Being in a good family: SOLD $20,000

• Being the owner of many slaves: SOLD $15,000 (Ours)

• Being popular with the opposite sex: SOLD $30,000

• Having many friends: SOLD $20,000

• Having good health: SOLD $55,000

Materialism Wins

My group bought the sports car, being a millionare, having many slaves and power over people.

When each group got up to justify their purchases most of them expanded the materialistic impact of their purchase. For example the Artistic Genius argued that this could mean they are a famous actor or TV celebrity who makes lots of money.

Hi

Our own stupidity can make us stuck

Sometimes we can feel trapped

Eve, Felix, Sam, Anthony, Yun, Saniy

Redemption Game

Simulating life is a game we like to play. Circumstances sometimes make you stuck. That would be people with pool noodles. When you get tagged you get stuck. Put one hand on your head. However your two friends can form a ring around you and free you. Get tagged again and you need more people to free you. Get tagged 4 times and your dead. There is a lot of running around in the game. Today was great because students were good at working together and freeing each other instead of just trying to keep themselves free.

Redeemer

The second time we played I was the redeemer who could set people free so that they started back to zero. Even dead people were raised. I love being able to set people free. How amazing would it have been to have seen Jesus heal the sick, give sight to the blind, the hungry were fed, those who were evil were made good, like tax collectors who were corrupt were changed so that they became generous.

Bad Circumstances

Sometimes we need to be rescued