Eternal Echoes

Chris- update

A BIG THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS OFFERED US PRAYER AND SUPPORT!

We have decided to go camping even if it means that we only go for four days.Tim and Joanne will continue with the holiday and Chris and I will go to London, the sailing and the pitch is all paid for and Jo has time off work, it would be a shame to waste it... ( it is easy to keep in touch and I am praising God for the wonder of mobile phones!) In the meantime we are waiting for a reply from the hospital about the usual blood tests which could be done locally and faxed through thus possibly saving us an unnecessary journey. If Chris's blood levels are not right they will not operate anyway- his medication may need adjusting.

Can't leave home without it Friday 5

Singing Owl says: We will be at a chaplain's convention when you all are answering the Friday Five Questions. I'll look forward to reading your answers next week when I get home. At the moment we are trying to get the car loaded so we can hit the road, so this will be a simple F.F. This running around madly in order to leave has me wondering: what are the five things you simply must have when you are away from home? And why? Any history or goofy things, or stories?

1. My camera- pictures are often the best souveniers.
2. Birkenstock- the most comfortable sandals ever! Even in winter when I use them as slippers these come with me!
3. My Bible- NRSV version- leather bound- feels right and smells right as well as being the word of God ( yup crazy but true)
4. A note book ( paper) and my favourite Fountain pen. So I can journal... I need to journal...
5. Make up bag- ah yes vanity reigns!!!

 

.... responding as myself

This Psalm of anger was once posted for me by my friend Mike, over the last few years it has been something I have returned to again and again. It was written by Nicola Slee and included in her book Praying like a Woman. Today I have returned to it for once again it allows me to vent my frustration and anger at the circumstances that surround me. As a Christian I believe that it is OK to feel these dark emotions, and that it is only in working through them that I can come to a place of peace, my last post was one of real frustration and almost despair, and I want to thank Barb who responded with insight and compassion allowing room for my anger and frustration. Too often we offer platitudes when all that folk need to hear are the words "I hear you" and " no this is not fair"....

I also believe that God is more than big enough to be challenged, and that somehow the challenging is an expression of faith... the demand that God should listen and could do something are a deeper acknowledgment of His real presence than any shallow search for peace. I for one do not wish to wear a mask and so tonight I pray with venom;

 

Rage ricochets off the empty cloister walls,
anger erupts at the altar.
The silence palls.
My serene piety falters and crumbles.
My lips mouth the prayers
but my heart lurches and stumbles
on the edge of this gaping pit
into which my cries have fallen.

I will storm this silence
not with praise but with venom.
I will blast this emptiness
not with patience but with anger.
My mantra is not "mercy"
but a cacophony of curses
hurled headlong at your distance,
spat in the face of your absence.

Show yourself!
Answer me!

I am sick of your silence,
I have had my fill of you hiddenness,
I am faint with the worry of waiting
on your word which never comes.
Have you not seen my pain?
Have you not heard
the anguish of my heart?
How can you stand far off
and watch me writhing and straining for you
with my bleary, tear-filled eyes,
crying for you with my dry and weary throat?

Why do you gloat from afar?
Will you not come?
Will you not show yourself?
Answer me!

...utter frustration.... (Prayer request)

Our caravan is packed and sitting on the driveway ready to go, the tents are prepared, we have just bought fuel for the lamps stocked up with camping food - and we were looking forward to a wonderful week at the beach camping and sailing...

I say were because we have just received a call from The Brompton Hospital to say that they have a bed for Chris next week, so that they can to carry out the ablation that he needs. We knew that this was being discussed and that it would possibly take place in the autumn, but were really not expecting a call out of the blue.

 Because of Chris's physiology this usually routine operation will be difficult and potentially dangerous, and so we are asking for your prayers. Please pray for Chris's health, for Tim and I who are sorely in need of a holiday, and for the finances to cover my stay in London for however long this is going to take.

Support for Dave Walker

I simply want to add my voice to the other voices who are speaking out in support of Dave Walker the cartoonist! Sam Norton at  Elizaphanian has written an extensive post which I would encourage you to read.

In the meantime I offer you one of Dave's cartoons:

Perichoresis ( to be published on The Porpoise Diving Life)

Can you hear

the unforced

rhythms of grace ?

 

Do you see

the heavenly

holy dancers?

 

Are you captivated

by the wonder,

freedom,

movement,

and life

that flows from their

uncreated song?

 

Can you hear the beating

of their hearts

as they whisper

softly

proclaiming their love

for one another,

and

for you?

 

Do you yearn

to join the joyful

throng

encircled in their midst?

 

For you are invited

to this heavenly

ceilidh!

 

Will you dare to take

the outstretched hand,

kick off your shoes

and dance?

 

 

7 things about me

Emjaydee has tagged me to complete an meme, I haven't done one for ages but this is really simple and it has made me think. The task is to list seven things about myself, so I began thinking about which seven facts to share so here they are:

1. Beauty feeds my soul, whether it be through nature,art, music or literature I need to take time to immerse myself in beauty! I am going camping next week and two things I am taking with me are my guitar and my pastels.
2. Words are very important to me, I try to use them well and carefully.
3. I pray best walking on the beach especially when the tide is in ( the sound of the waves crashing on the beach provides a rhythm to my prayers).
4. My favourite films include Chocolat and the Shawshank redemption.
5. I enjoy driving long distances on my own.
6. I hate gardening. ( I love gardens but wish they would tend themselves!)
7. I like strong coffee and red wine.

As for tagging seven more people I am simply going to say if you are reading this consider yourself tagged, if you decide to play please leave a comment so I can come over to visit you :-)

...and speaking of beauty this is where I am going to spend the next week, just praying for good weather now! It is even beautiful when the tide is out!

God’s politics synchroblogging…

Inside the politicians' head:

 

I of course

Align my thinking

To the ways

Of God!

Unlike the others,

Who,

Although they

Claim His name

Are clearly in the wrong,

And any thinking person

Will concur

…and truth

Will out

In the end!

 

Yet Jesus said:

 

 Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavours of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.

"Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colours in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.

 

...and the church???

WITH THANKS TO Dave Walker 

 

Other participants this month are:

Phil Wyman at Phil Wyman's Square No More
Lainie Petersen at Headspace
Jonathan Brink enters The Political Fray
Adam Gonnerman explains The Living Christ's Present Reign
Sonja Andrews at Calacirian
Mike Bursell at Mike's Musings
Sally Coleman at Eternal Echoes
Steve Hayes on God's Politics
Matthew Stone at Matt Stone Journeys in Between
Steve Hollinghurst at On Earth as in Heaven
KW Leslie tells us about God's Politics
Julie Clawson at One Hand Clapping
Dan Stone at The Tense Before
Alan Knox asks Is God Red, Blue, or Purple?
Beth Patterson at The Virtual Teahouse
Erin Word at Decompressing Faith

 

 

 

Mary Magdalene

Stories abound,

you have been called

whore,

and saint.

 

You have been cursed

and disregarded,

pushed to one side

in an effort to

quietly forget

about your existence.

You have been mythologised

and venerated.

 

..in truth we know

little about you...

 

But this we do know

you were there

at the cross

and

you saw him

resurrection fresh, and

ran to tell others

of the wonder

you had seen.

 

Today we celebrate your

your witness,

and pray

that we too might

be so bold!

 

Emergent liturgical practice

I am thinking of tackling the subject of Emergent Liturgical Practice for my Masters Dissertation, and was really encouraged to find this video by NT.Wright on Matt Stone's site:

 He brings up some interesting points about the freeing effect of liturgy in personal and family worship especially for those who have not been immersed in the Christian tradition from an early age. I would like to take that a step further and ask questions of the emergent church/ fresh expressions groups about the importance of liturgy.

NT Wright also highlights the hunger for worship that is expressed in many different ways by this  worship starved generation. I am particularly interested in speaking to members of the Free Churches where perhaps spontaneity has been over valued and liturgical practice pushed to one side. I am interested in how the richness of tradition can enhance and enable worship. I know for myself that using the Northumbria Community daily office has been enriching and releasing. What are your thoughts?