I thought I would throw up a wee post just to wish you all a very happy new year! I have been writting a list of my highlights from 2006, which I will probably post up soon, but tonight I am heading out with friends to the Wash Basin to see the new year in, then tomorrow I head up to Belfast for the day. Have a great one, whatever you get up to!
I spent today in Portstewart with a really amazing friend just hanging out, resting, enjoying each other’s company.
Blessed. That’s how I feel. Enjoying her company, rejoicing in God’s goodness in giving me her friendship. She challenges me a lot too!
Today she made this comment about noticing the little things. It made me realise that, in many instances, I don’t notice the little things anymore as much as I used to. Kinda made me sad. How many gifts does God send my way everyday that I miss?
Been reading John Ortberg’s book ‘God Is Closer Than You Think’ lately (needed something less academic for a few days!). He quotes a passage from a novel called ‘The Prince of Tides’ which I thought fitted in very well with this:
“I would like to have walked his world, thanking God for oysters and porpoises, praising God for birdsong and sheet lightning, seeing God reflected in pools of creek-water and the eyes of stray cats. I would like to have talked to yard dogs as if they were my friends and fellow travelers along the sun-tortured highways intoxicated with the love of God… I would like to have seen the whole world with eyes incapable of anything but wonder, and with a tongue fluent only in praise.”
I think this may be a point I need to work on a bit again! Becoming incapable of anything but wonder… how amazing would that be?
I show you my scribble plans
The ink on my hands
Hold it up for you to see, struggle and the charm
(What do you want me to be?)
David writes very eloquently. I like this especially. I want, too.
Just read a couple of really challenging posts.
Brant Hansen posted a great mini-essay (it’s fairly long!) on church, the American Dream, and the kingdom of God. Read it here. I love his honesty about the struggles he has with conventional church.
Shaun also posted some comments on Brant’s post here. (The title of this post is also the title of Shauns post, and comes out of Brants post.)
Here’s a brief quote (its all worth a read!):
I think I’ve taken one too many trips. I can’t listen to “Where the Streets Have No Name” anymore without crying. Here are a few of the faces I see:
In Calcutta, I met a little girl who looks just like the other uniformed girls in her Christian school in the slums…
Please tell me, again, about how we need to “attract” more Americans, using more features, to a building, when in some places, they have to fence kids from the church building, for lack of funds?
I think I am beginning to get to that ‘too many trips’ stage. I think it’s a good thing. What about anyone else? Any thoughts on this?
Wishing you all a very merry Christmas!
Recent Comments