A few nights ago I finally got to see the Motorcycle Diaries, a film I’ve wanted to see for a long time. It was brilliant…
“The Motorcycle Diaries” is based on the journals of Che Guevara, leader of the Cuban Revolution. In his memoirs, Guevara recounts adventures he, and best friend Alberto Granado, had while crossing South America by motorcycle in the early 1950s.
There were a few notable quotes that stuck in my head…
“We travel just to travel.”
This really struck me because of how much we in the West insist on things have an objective, a purpose. We are purpose-driven, efficient, and so on. Why must we be? It’s not always wrong, I admit, but why can’t we do things anymore simpy for the love of them? Simply because they are life-giving and bring us great joy? Traveling is one of my favourite things in the world. I rarely feel more alive than I do when I travel – meeting new people, seeing new places, new ways of experiencing life and culture and JOY.
“We could feel the world changing… or maybe it was us?”
Open our eyes Lord, Especially if they are half-shut, because we are tired of looking
Or half-open, because we’re afraid of what we might see
Open them wide so that we are aware in the midst of the darkness this Christmas, of signs of hope and light speaking to us of the birth of liberation.
Open our eyes to see the hope that the hungry will be satisfied.
Open our eyes to see the hope that change can come in oppressive regimes;
Open our eyes to see the hope that the baby brings.
And lest our courage fails us,
Open our eyes today, tomorrow or this week, to one person, or one place where we can be the very embodiment of hope. In the countryside, in the cities, through the corridors of power and the streets of despair, to help, to heal, to confront, to convert.
O Come O come Emmanuel
Amen
Posts are coming soon-ish! For now, here’s a brief run-down of the latest…
Finished term with a very hectic last week of work.
Spent a week doing very little in Latvia.
Walking on a frozen lake in Ruzina.
Christmas shopping in Riga.
Cili Pica and Double Coffee… wonderful simple pleasures.
Read some books (The Barbarian Way, For What It’s Worth, The Four Loves, Race Against Time)
Pictures are slowly coming on flickr here.
Drafted new ‘life’ statement for life/this current season/however long…
“The nature of the spiritual life is that we are certain in our uncertainties, consequently we don’t make our nests anywhere… Certainty is the mark of the common-sense life; gracious uncertainty is the mark of the spiritual life. To be certain of God means that we are uncertain in all our ways, we don’t know what a day will bring forth.”
[Oswald Chambers]
“Many of us are afraid of taking risks in case things don’t work out well – in case we “fail”. Such concerns are legitimate, but perhaps we need to reasses what constitues “failure”. Is failure when things don’t work out as we had hoped or expected? Or is failure not having the courage to risk living out our dreams?”
I’m heading out the door to the airport again…
Off to Latvia for a week to rest and more…
Probably won’t be replying to emails or blogs or texts, so don’t be offended.
Spending some time staying with Levi.
I’m back into Glasgow late night next Friday, perhaps blog after then!
Spent last weekend with Lori & Rachel who were over visiting me. Felt very Christmasey – it even snowed while we were at George Square taking in the Christmas sights and sounds and lights. Drank Creme Brulee Latees and walked in the snow and listened to Sufjan Stevens Songs For Christmas (which is beautiful, by the way).
Then, joy of joys, got invited round by some friends to share Christmas dinner… amazingly good food, pudding, and mulled wine, great company, games of charades, taking pictures, enjoying friendships.
I have so much to be thankful for. I love you guys!
I found this amazing website… I’m looking forward to being a part of this community somehow… I just love their vision…
… home of the dreamers, the drop kicks, the underground, high flying, hopeful, honest, creative, and above all subversive lovers of God and his incredible creation…
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