Simple mysteries

Testimony

The purpose of a testimony is to encourage, and I want to encourage you.

I encourage you to imagine the impossible, because God is good at doing the impossible; you know when God is about, when incredible things happen – and the strange thing is, that these things often happen in the most normal of ways – because God is involved in the normal.

I could tell you many stories of incredible things and many normal things too; each one, leaving within, a sense of awe.

Each one requires a response, a response to change; to move forward.

The purpose of a testimony is to encourage us to change, as a response to a personal experience.

So imagine the impossible, find it in the normal and share it.

Ingredients

I am not sure what makes a good blog or if we should define good, being dependant on number of hits. I have come to a conclusion that the Internet and it’s “Hits monitor” is just a lottery. “The post” on this modest site attracting most attention – 15th Feb 2009. I have no idea why this should be?

We all have a need to be accepted and occasionally to be told “your doing good”. Fame is quite another thing and I think that’s important for some and for others to aspire to. I was working recently with a young man and we were talking about confidence. Now this person has quite a lot of self confidence in some areas of his life – lack of confidence in other areas holds back growth and drives him into a stuck state, unable to move forward.

Imagine where we might not find confidence? We would not find it in any of the jars in a sweet shop, we could not fill a bucket of it from a stream, we can’t pick it from trees, it won’t arrive in the post and I am not going to win it in a lottery draw. In short, we came to the conclusion that confidence is not something that grows or develops, magically appears or that it can be strengthened by some form of exercise. Our theory is that each person has sufficient confidence for their needs; our ability to use this confidence is restricted by barriers and issues, both internal and external. Removing the blockages in the pipe-work allows the product to flow through.

Note to evening office: Lord, thank you for equipping me with all I need.

Without intention

The silver birch in the friary garden, adorned by a beauty that was not of its making.

New years arrive more frequently than they used to (or at least, that is my perception). I am feeling I have more to look back upon than to look forward to. Until you begin to see the possibilities  of what will go on beyond our time.

Moulding/ creating with a piece of clay in my hand; I shape and give form to to what was just a lump of clay. I begin to bring into being a thought, a feeling, an idea that is more than words or a sketch; this is more part of myself than I would dare to admit. It would take a fraction of a second to re-form this creation back to a lump of clay – so take a moment to hold it in the palm of your hand and try not to compare it to anything else (it is unique). As it stands, it is perfect; without criticism from within or without, it just is.

How easily we put down our dreams and creative thoughts in this competitive and critical world. It seems that when we compare our efforts to something else, this is when we decide we are not good enough. So the next time you get your hands on a piece of clay or plasticine, mould a thought and accept it as perfect, comparing it to nothing else.

Note to evening office: I am a creative being, moulded by the creator – who said He was pleased with what he saw.

Christmas morning

Merry Christmas this special morning, full of promise and hope from One so small and vulnerable.

Bright morning star.

Visitors

The biggest visitor recently is the snow. We in England take very badly to it as everything seems to stop; goodness knows how we would cope in other countries. My walks through the woods towards Saltburn have been wonderful.

The sun coming through the viaduct promising a little warmth (but not for a while yet).

 

 

 

 

 

This jolly character looked pleased to be resting but was not in the mood for conversation.

 

 

 

 

The visitor who was interesting to spend time with was George, known as The Pebbleman or Dr Geebers. George is passing through our seaside town and leaving his mark in both the pebble sculptures he builds and those he speaks to. He welcomed me into his temporary home (under the road) beside his stone creation. Follow the link above for further info on this homeless young man, the photo below is George at Saltburn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The sun was shinning, but trust me it was cold and since then we have had temperatures below minus10.

Note to evening office:

I saw a stranger yestereen,
I put food in the eating place
Drink in the drinking place
Music in the listening place
And in the sacred name of the Triune
He blessed myself and my house
My cattle and my dear ones
As the lark said in her song ‘Often, often, often
Goes Christ in the stranger’s guise.’

Big Sky

Just the other morning, the sky looked so big; unlike the picture above, the clouds were few and thin. Almost transparent and defined only by the radiant light.

The more I gazed at the sky, the bigger it seemed; the word canopy, did not fit with my feelings. I was quickly being transported from earthly things; I had a sense that the higher I went, the thinner the curtain would become. There appeared to be a real possibility of passing right through the curtain without even realising it.

Note to morning office:

I lift my eyes unto the Lord.

He is my rock and my salvation.