Tuesday 31st January: Day 25

Thank you.
Thank you to those of you who have clicked on this site
and continue even now.
The journey that has begun is just that -
a journey that has begun.

While the blog comes to an end today
our adventures into the heart of God
as individuals
and as a community (online or in the flesh!) of God's people
needs to continue.

Remember,
God is always making the journey into our heart...
as we go on our way
an interim,
definitely not parting,
blessing:

God has flung his arms wide
to welcome you.
They are wide enough
to wrap around you like a blanket.
Go to
live in the warmth of that embrace -
Let it help
and encourage you to blossom
as daily,
you grow deeper
in your love 
for God,
for yourself,
for others
and for this wonderful and amazing world
in which he has set us...


Enjoy the Father's gaze,
the Son's life-giving selflessness,
and the inspirational energy of God's Spirit
living and working in you.


Be set free today
and every day,
to live life to the full -


and as the sun rises and sets
on each new day,
know with certainty that God
your God,
will never....
never ever ever...
NEVER
let you,
go.

Monday 30th January: Day 24

A new week begins
But you, Lord, are already in it.


A new week begins
and all we can think about 
is what it has in store -
Our diary with its appointments
or its blanks...
Reflects our life
with its highs 
and its
lows...
Its needs 
and its 
wants.


So what is it we want?
What exactly?
Meaning?
Purpose?
Do we want you?
At arms' length?
Or close enough to help
and to heal?


Lord,
learning to love you
as we love ourselves
as we love others
and the whole wide world around us
is not easy...
in fact,
it will take a lifetime!
Guaranteed!


But help us to begin
that life-long learning curve
right here.
right now...


may we live with
and learn to see as you do,
our fears and our foibles...


May we enjoy
and appreciate
the "me" you have made me
as well as life itself...
the world
and all those you have given us
to share our life's experiences...


But most of all
may we enjoy and appreciate
you.
Enjoy.
You.

Sunday 29th January: Day 22

Shhh...
You know by now I'm going to ask you
on a Sunday,
for a spell when you can be quiet.
not a long spell,
just a spell
when you can be at peace.
Still.

Even although we're talking minutes
not hours,
it's not easy, is it?
Try though,
to take a '
"time out" -
long enough to have a quiet walk
or simply to sit.

Tosay is a day
for being conscious
of what you see...
hear...
feel...
touch
and even smell!

Today you are to be conscious of God
always
all around you -
and in you...

 in you...
in... you...

Thank you, Lord God,
for all you teach me
about me,
about others
and about the world around me...


but more than anything,
thank you for what you teach me
about you...
because you choose to be
here with me
and you move alongside all who suffer
or are in pain,
those who are in distress
or anguish....


you choose to laugh with those who laugh
and to celebrate and share our good times....


in fact you choose to be on our side,
always.


All we can say is
"Thank you!"
so...
thank you! 

Saturday 28th January: Day

This believing business has pretty far reaching repercussions.
I'm encouraged to love God...
and me...
and others.
we've been through that.
Said that.
But there's more.
God asks us too, to love his world.

Yep.
The whole world.
People
trees, rivers, flowers,
mountains and rocks and deserts
bugs, flies, birds
fish and animals -
even midgies!

How?

By appreciating,
and enjoying
and caring for the world around us
in its entirety.
which means I need to think
and act
responsibility.
That car journey...
is it necessary?
Do I buy local\/
Is that fruit fairly traded?
How about the coffee we sip?
The tea bag brewing in the teapot?

Do I recycle?
Am I conscious of the footprint I leave?
Do I leave the lights burning,
the telly on standby,
the phone charger constantly plugged in?

Sustainable.
Am I helping the earth to be?
Scotland to be?
My community to be?

God,
Creator of the whole wide world,
I am entrusted to look after your creation:
to enjoy it - yeah - and I will!
But also to nurture and protect it.


I love this world:
the landscapes
and seascapes,
the skylines
and shorelines -
but what do I do to protect it
as you ask me to,
For future generations?


Help me, Lord, to live conscious
of how valuable
and vulnerable
your world is.
Help me to enjoy it
and to protect it...
to care for it
and to nurture it.


Help me to join you 
in its recreation....
its regeneration.
Now and always.

Friday 27th January: Day 20

Thanks to a little furry visitor in the kitchen I have been cleaning out my kitchen cupboards.  I have found lots of plastic storage boxes and lids.  The only thing is many of the boxes and lids don't match!
I think some of them disappeared a very long time ago but for some reason I have never quite got round to throwing out the odd part which means they have been lurking in the cupboards, fulfilling no udeful purpose ever since - just taking up space.
Our lives too carry a whole lot of things that, like those mis-matched boxes, serve no useful purpose except to take up valuable space.
Old and painful memories.  Past hurts.  Outdated regrets and disappointments, as well as mistakes that have equally passed their sell-by date.
Do we need to hang on to them?
do we really?

Think how much more room in our lives we could have for much more useful and creative things if only we could ditch what is really simply excess baggage....
but it's not easy, is it?


Lord,
we're hoarders.
Perhaps not at home (though some of us are...)
but in our lives.
We hang onto what we should have no more use for...
Unhelpful things that remind us past mistakes
and regrets
disappointments
and hurts inflicted...


We hoard harsh words - until we end up believing them.
we hoard harsh memories - thinking we can't just move on...
but in fact you ask...
you ask us to let them go.
"Give them to me", you say...


Lord,
uncurl my fingers,
loosen my grip on these things
and help me here and now
to give you my excess emotional baggage...


Thank you for carrying everything for me.
Help me to know relief today.
to feel relief.
set free.


and praise be to you
our Glorious,
weight-bearing God!!

Thursday 26^th January: Day 19

I tried to find a copy simply of the music to Wild Mountainside. I failed!  This link will take you to the song – but the words are the original.  Keep the music playing on the pop up link below, as you read through what follows!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSuL9JB-Uy4

Isn’t it amazing

What the Lord can do

With anyone who is willing

To try his will to do

And though it’s tough and sometimes hard

God gives us all we need

To follow in his footsteps

And live in his love.

Age or youth is nothing

God can use us all

All he asks is that we trust that

He’ll catch us when we fall

And though we doubt and hesitate

God gives us all we need

To follow in his footsteps

And live in his love.

Trust he knows what’s best

Listen to his voice

Take a step in faith

Listen to his call

Know that he still wants you

Chooses one and all.

He knows we’re far from perfect yet

He longs that we might live

Following in his footsteps,

Living in his love

Wednesday 25^th January: Day 18

Apparently JK Rowling started writing her ‘Harry Potter’ novels in a cafe in Edinburgh.

I can understand why she did.

Confession time.

I have been known, in the past, to travel to a coffee shop in Inverness when the sermon writing has not being going according to plan and in the bustling busy-ness of the surroundings I have found inspiration.

It’s easier down there because very few people know me or even notice me.  I take a wee notebook and pen and over a very leisurely coffee I write.

That got me thinking.

We tend to assume we meet God best in the quiet.

Could it be that he is every bit as present in the noise?

Try this as an experiment.

Go to a cafe or a pub,

somewhere public and busy,

Buy a drink

And sit down

And think.

Ask yourself,

Can God speak through the hustle and bustle

Of everyday life?

It may not always be easy for him – but can he?

If he can,

Then what might he be saying to you in the midst of life?

What might he be trying to say to those around you?

Notebook and pen optional in the pub or cafe –

But might be useful!!!