These are the days of Miracle & Wonder!

Back in Time

This morning, Maria & I went along to the church of which my family was a part from 1985 to (I think) 1993 - we are up in Hertfordshire, attempting to scout out our New Life (which so far seems to involve getting in touch with aspects of our Old Life).

As you can imagine, it is quite a weird experience being surrounded by people who've never known me as an adult or as anything else than an attachment in the life of my parents.  But that's not what I was going to write about.

The thing that struck me, going back there, was that they wanted to know Jesus.  The church is full of people who are genuinely very successful in their fields, and yet there was a sense of real humble need to get to the core of life - it was genuine and not a show, and (kind of sweetly) it felt like they didn't really know how to express it.

It's interesting what impresses me.  At the moment, I usually feel like my life is deeply unimpressive, and yet looked at from just a slightly different angle, I can also see that it is wildly unencumbered by obligations, happily unmoved by the riches of the world, and within reach of some potentially extraordinary exploits.

I swing between living in the best of times and the worst of times.

A Resolute New Year

I don't really do New Year's Resolutions - and this year will be no real exception - but I do like wondering about it; thinking about what is in my life that shouldn't be, or what isn't in my life that should.

No huge revelations this year.  But I am getting near: realising that I have bundles of great things going on in my world, if only I'd be able to stop and drink in their goodness, instead of flitting off onto the next thing and the next thing and the next thing.

So maybe my irresolute resolution for 2010 might be:
  

do less, and do it better

or

slow down

or

notice!

I'm also looking forward to enjoying my marvelous 18 yr Glenlivit with lovers of the good things in life.  Form an orderly queue ...

My Year in Facebook Statuses (Statuss/Stati/Statae?)

[enlarge for more easy reading] 

Home ish

After an almighty kerfuffle (I'm not sure I've every written that word before, so it may be wrong) and quite a degree of consternation/anxiety/all the rest, Maria & I made it back to Britain last Friday.  Her visa arrived (or, more accurately, I went and collected it from the UPS van) 2 hours before we left for the airport - cutting it a bit fine for my tastes.  But we are here.

And of course, still without a home.  Plenty of temporary ones, or places to visit, present themselves, but it's a bit wearying really; we could do with a bit of space we can call our own.  All prayers, as ever, much appreciated.

But it is good to be here once more.  Just need to avoid sneezles and wheezles now.

Whilst sitting in a foreign land, waiting to come home, this helps to put things in perspective

This is Stackridge, with North Street Grande.  Merry Christmas.

.

the evolution of Darwinism

I think I'm going to start getting into Tom Wright from now on - partly because I agree with him, and partly because, even when I don't (or I'm not sure if I do), there's something about his tone of voice that makes me feel that he doesn't mind too much.  Maybe that's what Anglicans bring to the world - an accepting tone of voice.

Anyway, this is just an example, but a very good one.  I love a bit of historical context.

.

.

You know where you can stick your over-exuberant Christmas Lights, don't you?

Three Songs

Now, I don't have time to tell you about who John Clare is and just why it's so important that he's recognised as one of the great English poets.  That's my Dad's job.  All I wanted to say is that since this summer, I have been writing tunes to carry his words.  Have a listen, and see what you think.

Download 03 Remember, Dear Mary

Download 04 Nutting

Download 09 Three Springs

There's a possibility that I may get to record some of these properly in the next year or so - I have about a dozen of decent quality.  I apologise to anyone who may be instinctively opposed to the singing of folk music.

Quidquid recipitur ad modum recipientis recipitur

Translation:  Whatever is received is received according to the manner of the receiver.

Basically, I think this means that your perception of something is shaped as much by who you are as it is shaped by the thing itself.  The antenna determines the signal received.

So, how did you receive that?  And does that tell you anything about yourself?

Or, to take it a step further and be practical:  How much of my view of Jesus is basically me looking at an idealised version of myself, or at least of my preferences concerning what I would like the incarnated God to be like?  Do I walk through Advent purely looking for a Christmas present that suits me, or am I open to whatever I may receive?  Am I Christian, or Davidian?

'when we are married'

Last night, struggling to get to sleep, I was noticing that December is pretty much here.  Advent.  Newness, new-life, salvation & all that.

It's funny how (for most of us) it's a winter festival - a festival of light at the darkest time, and of life when all around is bare and empty.  Good theology.

I've been away from my homeland for about 8 weeks now - when I left, Devon was just beginning to lean towards Autumn, although the leaves were all on the trees, the sun was out and the blackberries were still making my country walks slower than otherwise.  South Carolina is just reaching a similar stage now.

How does that feel?  I feel like I've been in stasis for 2 months - I've got married, been on honeymoon, been to California and back, etc.etc. - but no time seems to have elapsed in the world outside.

Yesterday, when we were talking about what we'd be doing once our visa arrives and we can finally come back to Britain and normality, Maria (accidently) said, "Yeah, when we're married we can ...".  That's how it feels - like we've had the ceremony but are yet to actually be married; to actually live as husband and wife.

It's like we're in the Christmas season, but aren't feeling Christmassy.  We are in Advent, but the actually new life hasn't really started yet.