Adrift in the storm

Adrift

Drifting in the storm,
Lost in the oceans vastness
The waves crash and surge
And the dark surrounds me
No power over my direction
There is no rest or peace here
I shout but no-one hears
And my tears begin to fall

As the storm worsens
I see another traveling
I call out and he hears me
He turns to come to my aid
As he draws close
His prescence warms my soul
He shares my pain, my fear
Rekindles hope within me

I am no longer alone
The wind howls and the waves crash
But a light has been lit in my soul
The storm rages outside,
But the storm within me has been silenced
(by Ian)

Psalm 23 in the Bible says "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death you are with me". God promises to be with and comfort all who are willing, through the good and the bad times.

Hide and seek is an adults game too...

Checking under the bed, in the cupboard, behind the tree, in the garden...the search is on! Hide and seek. The excitement of searching and finding and the fun of being looked for. A childhood game but also an adult one.

As we grow up the game of hide and seek changes. No longer bound to houses or the streets we live in our seeking extends further. Our seeking extends out into space to search to the furthest reaches of space to find new planets, new stars.

Neil Armstrong the first man to venture into space said: "I think we're going to the moon because it's in the nature of the human being to face challenges. It's by the nature of his deep inner soul... we're required to do these things just as salmon swim upstream." Our nature gives us this desire to seek, to be challenged to search out. Our search isn't alaways as far as space. We search closer to home; for a life partner, for the right career and at Christmas we even begin the searches for the right gift for those close to us. 

Life is a search - The spirit within us created to search

God who created the universe for us to explore, who created the outer reaches of space and the depths of the sea. He also created us and has put within us the desire to search; to search for love, fulfillment, peace and joy. The God who created this spirit within us also desires that we search after him.

Our search for God - God's search for us 

Jesus tells us stories about the kingdom of God and compares it to a search. He uses the parable of a merchant searching for something of value.

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it! (The Bible, Matt 13:45-46)

The same God who asks us to seek him, also searches for us. Jesus also tells the parable of the lost coin:

“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and sweep the entire house and search carefully until she finds it? (The Bible, Luke 15:8)

God searches for us as the lady searches for the coin. She is not satisfied until she finds what she is looking for. Searching because she is looking for something of value to her has been lost. God is constantly seeking us, as he loves us.

Lifelong searching

Life is about seeking and finding. The search for God is about finding something precious (like the merchant's search), it is about finding something that has great value. Something worth the effort. In our life we may find times we feel close to God but also times where God feels distant. But we are encouraged to search and maybe feeling God far should give us more motivation to search?

Life is fragile

When we are young we feel as though we are immortal. As we grow we begin to experience events that make us recognise that we are fragile, that life is fragile. Although we may look back at the naivety of youth as something good, the change in understanding can bring about a deeper understanding of what is important. When we  realise life is fragile we begin to treat life as something to be treasured. We treat life as something special. We begin to treat the lives of those close to us as special.

Benedict (a monk) used to suggest that "Day by day remind yourself that you are going to die" reminding our`selves we are mortal is a positive thing. Considering our mortality helps us realise the extent to which we can or can't control life. Resulting in a true understanding of our human-ness. It reminds us that our lives are limited in length and gives an immediacy to life. 

Recognising this fragility can be negative. By focusing too much on the temporary nature of life we may begin to cling to it, through worry, through hoarding, through self preservation. We end up living in fear. But this need not be the case....

For me understanding my mortality inspires me to take joy in what I have. To love life, to enjoy each moment, not living in the past thinking about how things didn't work out or constantly looking to the future. But enjoy the here and now. It also causes me to reflect on whether how I am living will leave a positive impact on the earth for those who come after me.

Knowing that my time here is limited inspires me to find out more about God who is not limited by time, top search for him and what . and the advice that he has to give on how to live and be.

Look at your reflection

How long do you spend looking in the mirror each morning? If you are like me then maybe it isn't that lot. But if you do...and if you see a splodge of mud on your face...you clean it off! Seeing what you look like makes you change who you are.

What about a different sort of mirror? How others respond to you?

How people act around us or respond to us can be a mirror for what our personality is like. How you behave will cause a response in others. If you are a bubbly sort of person then you entering the room will probably get a cheery response.If you are an aggressive person maybe people will act a little defensive around you.

Have a look in the mirror this week. Look at your reflection in other peoples reactions.  How do people speak to you? How do they act when they see you? Does this reveal anything new about who you are? What will it cause you to change?

Spending time with God can reveal even more to us about who we are. As we stop in a quiet moment away from the distractions and ask God to speak, he can reveal to us more of who we truly are. We will see parts we need to change and the parts of us that bring God joy.

Play dough, stones and community

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As people, in our family life, in our working life, in our Church, in our friendship groups we need to have a hard core and soft edges.

Always be humble and gentle. Patiently put up with each other and love each other. Try your best to let God’s Spirit keep your hearts united. Do this by living at peace. (The Bible, Ephesians 4:2-3)

A hard, stone, core, and soft, play dough edges. 

All of us need to have values that we cannot compromise on that form a solid core within us. Maybe these are that family is a priority, that we should treat others with respect. 

However in a community of people who are not willing to compromise, and who are therefore not humble or patient gentle or loving will constantly be in conflict, we will scrape up against others and hurt them and ourselves. There must be loads of things we are willing to compromise on that form our soft edges. 

A tower made up of hard stones will wobble and fall but a tower of play dough covered stones will stand.

People who are willing to compromise, who act lovingly towards one another, will be able to live, care and work together to greater effect. 

Which of these do you struggle with? How have you seen you inability at it affect the lives of others around you.

Humbleness - Humbleness is not thinking how great I am but looking and seeing other peoples positive qualities.

Patience - Waiting, persevering, not quickly getting frustrated or angry

Gentleness - Gentleness is strength restrained. Each person has power whether in family, work or elsewhere. Do you only exert that power when absolutely necessary.

Love - Love as a choice, not a feeling. Choosing to act lovingly to others whether it benefits us or not. 

What are your core values and what are the things you can compromise on with the people around you.

Look closer

I was walking home today and saw so many things I had never noticed before. When I got home I stopped to look at a leaf I had picked up on the way.

It really struck me how amazing the world is that we are part of. Try thinking through this tomorrow when you are outside or go outside now!

Focus on the leaf, hold it, feel it, it is real, you are real, you are connected with it. Think of how many different things it has going on inside it to make it grow, to give it its colour, the energy stored in it that can give another creature life. It is amazing! And it is only a small part of our world

Focus outwards. Consider the birds of the air, the grass, the sounds. Become aware of all that is around you the wind on your face, the ground beneath your feet, the gravity that keeps you anchored. . What do you see, hear, smell, sense. This world is amazing.

Focus further out. See yourself in global perspective, on a planet spinning, a tiny jewel surrounded by billions of stars, the unimaginable vastness of space. Consider you’re part of a miracle.

Develop a sense of awe at the world you’re in. God’s name echoes around it, his autograph is all over creation. As you think of the world, thank God for the environment he’s given you, the world that sustains you, all that you see and sense.

Watch this and consider the awesome world we are part of!

Psalm 8, from the Bible talks about creation. Chew over some of the words as you go about your day.

God, brilliant Lord, yours is a household name.

Nursing infants gurgle choruses about you; toddlers shout the songs that drown out

enemy talk, and silence atheist babble.

I look up at your macro-skies, dark and enormous, your handmade sky-jewellery, moon

and stars mounted in their settings.

Then I look at my micro-self and wonder, Why do you bother with us? Why take a

second look our way?

Yet we’ve so narrowly missed being gods, bright with Eden’s dawn light. You put us in charge of your handcrafted world, repeated to us your Genesis-charge, made us lords of sheep and cattle, even animals out in the wild, birds flying and fish swimming, whales singing in the ocean deeps.

God, brilliant Lord, your name echoes around the world.

(King David, The Message Translation)

Are you a follower or followed?

Most of us follow the culture of our country, follow what other people are doing, the unwritten rules. We only occasionally stop to question it. Only a very small proportion (maybe 2%) actually shape the culture. Are you someone who tries to change things or someone who goes with the flow?

How can we change our world? Is it really possible? To to make a difference may seem impossible, but history proves that is not the case. There are individuals in history who have shaped our world.

The overriding characteristics these culture shapers have are; influence, passion, determination and focus. William Wilberforce, is an example of someone who stood up against the culture of his day. He stood up against the slave trade because he was passionate it was wrong. He was a man whose passion, determination and focus lead him to do great things. He refused to give up, he refused despite pressure to water down his message or to be put off by criticism. Eventually, he brought about change.

What are you passionate about? What injustices do you feel determined to change? You may not have the position that William Wilberforce had but you do have influence somewhere. Whether it is in your home, your workplace, your local school or your neighbourhood, your voice can be heard and can make a difference. You can change the culture of your workplace, of your home, maybe your town!

God desires for injustices to be put right and one day God will put the world right again, and there will be peace and unity of all people. But until that time God calls all people who follow Jesus to bring about change where they are. Christians are told to fight for God's values of honesty, love, care, self sacrifice. Others have caught the vision for a world living in unity and peace though they may not believe in God.

Think about how you can bring about change in your home or work as you listen to John Lenon, Imagine: Click here

Where is your God?

Where is your God when things are hard? Where is your God when things are going wrong? Maybe this interpretation of part of the Bible in a poem by Rael Mason gives the answer from a Christian perspective better than most. I think it does, but have a listen and decide for yourself. Where is your God, Rael Mason.

Click on the link to listen above to the poem then think about the quotes below, and decide whether you agree.

Things are... "this way so that I can be in it, and rather than burn it or bin it,
He lovingly crafts at the cracks and decays, He tends to me slowly, adding colour to greys.
‘til He restores me to His masterpiece; His ‘meant to be’.
Here is my God" (Rael Mason)

“God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pain: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” (C.S. Lewis)

Hold out your hands...

Maybe the things that are most precious and bring us most joy can also be a source of worry, a cause to fear. The fear of loosing those things. 

This canal boat near our house has been named 'Precious'. The person who owns it obviously loves it and takes joy from it. To them it is something precious. We each have things like this whether it is an object as big as a boat or as small as a wedding ring or a person; a friend or our children.

Stop today to consider the things you hold close.

Hold your hands out in front of you in an open position.

Imagine in your hands all those things that are important to you. Is it family? Is it meeting with friends? Is it food? Is it sport? Or is it ambition? Read through the following as you consider those things in front of you and what they mean to you.

In our hands we hold what is most special to us.
Consider why they are special. 
What do they add to your life?
Why do you care for them?

We often cling on to these things, 
in the hope that if we cling tightly enough they won't escape.

That somehow we can keep them always. But is that real? 
How much can we hold onto the things we love?

Think about the ways you can protect those things, how you can treat them as precious.

Consider those things you are holding in your hands,

Over the passage of time things will change.
People move on, ambitions may remain un-achieved and desires unfulfilled.

What now, after those things are not there? 

Stop and think what feelings come to mind, when you think of loosing those things? How does that make you want to respond? Are there things you want to change in your life as a result?

The creator of the world holds all things in his hands,

He knows what is precious to us,

All that we hold close he can hold in his hands,

When we give God what is precious to us,

Our hands will be empty to grasp onto his.

What part does God play in your life?

I hate the way things are!

I look at the horrible things going on in Syria and I'm angry the world is this way, even angry with God that things like this happen, that people cause each other suffering. It is at times hard to put together the two pictures of God I see in the world; One of a God who doesn't stop these things happening and one of a loving God .

The question of why God doesn't stop things like this is massively difficult. Others have expressed a frustration at this in the Bible (such as in the Old Testament Habakkuk 1:12-14). Christians, including me, get frustrated at God. 

But despite our frustration and the lack of a clear answer, I believe God understands and experiences the suffering that goes on. Through Jesus he suffered. Jesus experienced rejection, beatings, crucifixion....he suffered and as he did God his parent suffered with him. God has shown he understands through Jesus  and has through Jesus shown us how to live in a way that would eradicate suffering.

"Love your neighbour as you love yourself" (The Bible, Mark 12:31)

But people do not live as Jesus lived. In all walks of life we see people acting wrongly. We see that people have the freedom to act how they choose unless they are restrained by others. An example of someone intent on in-human behaviour who was unrestrained, was Hitler. He persecuted the Jews and led others to do the same. 

However what if all Germany had stood against and refused to follow Hitler? 

The words of German, Martin Niemoller give a poignant reminder of the potential consequences of turning a blind eye to the suffering of others.  

First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out - because I was not a communist;

Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out - because I was not a socialist;

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out - because I was not a trade unionist;

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out - because I was not a Jew;

Then they came for me - and there was no one left to speak out for me.

We must stand up for the rights of others. We must speak out. We must show love to our neighbour as Jesus taught whatever the cost, because that is how the world will be changed for the better. We should be shouting at those who allow injustice. We should stir ourselves to act on behalf of those who are downtrodden and hurt. Because that will change things.

But that action will certainly have a cost. Time? Money? Effort? Our lives? Are you willing to accept that cost to yourself?

Chocolate covered ants and change

Depending on how you look at it, change is like choloate covered ants or ants with a chocolate centre.

Chocolate covered ants: The chocolate coating is great but then you get to the ant centre! Its good at the start but as things develop you realise that the change might not be all you hoped for.

Ants with a chocolate centre: The outside is yuck but the chocolate centre is good. Maybe you hate change initially but later can see some benefits

I'm the latter of the two and things are changing dramatically in our lives at the moment. But I've been thinking about: what to do when in the middle of change. A Christian (Reinhold Niebuhr, 1892-1971) wrote a great prayer about change, 

God, give us grace to accept with serenity

the things that cannot be changed

Courage to change the things

which should be changed,

and the Wisdom to distinguish

the one from the other!

I think we each have a choice about the situation we are in. We have the choice to accept the change and embrace it or reject what it happening and try to redirect our lives.

We all have a choice, it is up to us as to whether where we are is something we believe is good or whether it is wrong and whether we need to stop and change. 

What changes are you involved in at the moment?

In all the current changes the following things have been helpful for me. Maybe they might be useful to you?

• Recognise change is happening - Acknowledge your feelings and emotions. For me acknowledge that there conflicting emotions: Pain at leaving friends, but excitement at a new adventure.
• Choose how you are going to think - For me think positively about the things I can't change and make a plan for the things I can.
• Pick some goals or actions that you can guide you through the change - I have written out my goals and my plans to meet them. It has helped me decide how to make the change happen and to also to recognise my successes! 
• Find ways to relax - to take your thoughts away from going over it too many times.

A New Dawn

There are times in all our lives of significant change, where one part of our life ends and a new part begins. This is about my current experience.

A New Dawn

I sit here at the end of a day, stopping to reflect,
The day began with dreams, untainted by experience,
There was adventure to be had, waiting to be grasped,
Each moment was precious full of possibilities,

But now here I sit at the end, and the beginning,
With sadness for all that might have been,
With joy in some of the things that were,
Lost in thought, about the part I played,

A new day is about to dawn,
Unknown as to what it will hold,
What of yesterday will I take with me?
What will stay behind in the past?
No answers, only questions,

I travel into the new changed by the past,
Expectant as to what the new day will bring,
Time to let go of yesterday,
And embrace tomorrow.
(By Ian)

When is doing nothing better?

Last week I went out armed with weed killer to rid our drive of weeds. I got them all, went inside and was met by Helen who told me what I had sprayed was Bug killer not Weed killer. Instead of winning the war over the weeds I had helped them to be bug free!

Sometimes it's better to do nothing because doing something makes the situation worse.

In 1955, African-American, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat for a white person in a country where segregation due to skin colour was normal. Martin Luther King suggested to the African-American residents that they stop using public transport. They did and being the bulk of the city's paying customers it ground the transport system to a halt and in 1956 segregation on transport was brought to an end.


Doing nothing can have dramatic results.

What about on a smaller scale? How would inaction work? For me it would mean biting my tongue rather than arguing with my wife over stupid things. Maybe with friends it would be showing empathy rather than being too quick to give advice. In the work place maybe it would be showing love to the difficult manager rather than speaking against them? Maybe inaction could radically change some areas of our lives.

We all know that being active is important. To speak out, to do good things and to work hard. But when faced with a challenging situation will remaining silent, will stopping, will removing ourselves from the situation be a more effective way of responding?

Have a look at a few things King Solomon (Old Testament Bible) suggests may be effective:

• Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.(Proverbs 17:28)
• Starting a quarrel is like opening a floodgate, so stop before a dispute breaks out. (Proverbs 17:14)
• Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others. (Proverbs 12:15)

Give us GOOD news!

It has been so good to hear all the Olympics stories and hear about athletes overcoming the odds to win a medal or achieve a personal best. The papers are normally full of negative stories but with the Olympics on there have been a few more good ones.

The papers print what people want to read...so we must want all the negative stories? Do we people love to see when things go wrong? Is there some part of us that doesn't want to hear about other people doing well, succeeding?

In the Bible we are reminded to think about good things as these will bring us life: 

"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things" (Philippians 4:8)

What would the world look like if there was a balance in the papers between the positive and negative. If we heard more about people who overcome difficult situations, about people who have cared for others. Would the country, our outlook start to be more positive if what we were thinking about was more positive?

The news readers were saying last night that there has been a buzz around London and the country that people are talking more to each other because people are enjoying something positive together and it has taken our minds off the economy and difficulty with redundancies.

Maybe the Olympics has reminded us that thinking more about people doing well and succeeding is good for our moral, keeps our perspective positive and gives hope.

Giraffe and Us

I was watching a children's tele program about Knowsley safari park with my son and we saw the birth of a Giraffe. Giraffe babies are amazing they just drop out get up and walk. Human babies don't work like that. They come out and cry and it takes them a whole year to walk and ages longer to be independent. We as human parents have a hard job parenting but as I was thinking about it, maybe we have it better this way.

Being a parent brings out the true 'us'. Our children can show us who we truly are. In me that is not always good. I don't always have much patience, I am often unwilling to compromise and don't empathise well. But maybe this is a good thing. Having children shows us those areas we need to sort out. It gives us as people greater opportunity to grow and change these things and to be the best we can be.

Our parenting and example will affect our children and who they will become but they also affect who we become. The challenge our children cause us can spur us on to become all we can be. 

Forgiveness is like glue

When anger rages and frustration builds dividing walls,
When 'self' takes over and voices are raised in passion,
The wounds can be deep and love becomes a distant recollection,

The bonds that tie two together become weak,

Forgiveness is the glue that will bind up the wound,
Forgiveness is what holds imperfect people together as one,
Covering over the hurt and strengthening the ties of love,

Forgiveness is the true expression of love,
A gift offered by a heart that is compassionate and open,
A gift accepted by the humble, one willing to acknowledge the wrong,

From forgiveness pours greater love,
Love flowing from the gratitude of the forgiven,
Blessing both giver and receiver,
Who arise secure bound closer than before.

(By Ian)

Forgiveness is a massive thing, it can transform situations. I have been blessed by the forgiveness of other people and I have experienced something of God's forgiveness in my life and have been changed because of it. This 'poem' is my attempt to put some of that into words! Hope you like it.

Try something new today...

I was hunting around in our cupboards looking for something interesting to put in my sandwiches and hidden in the back of the cupboard I found some Marmite. I have never hated or liked Marmite, but I've not had it for ages so I thought I would try it one more time. I put it in my cheese sandwich and it was great! 

This is part of me trying to shake things up a bit. Trying to do things differently, walk Daniel to school a different way, talk to new people in the playground, ask people different questions, listen to a different radio station...trying out writing a blog. I am also trying out new things spiritually, spending time in quiet, praying at different times, listening to different music about God.  

Things all become a little too normal sometimes, I get stuck in a rut, just doing the same things day to day. I hope making a few changes will bring some new understanding of the people around me and about God.

Try something new, spend some time in quiet, close you eyes and stop... (maybe have a few beach sounds playing in the background)

A tree by a river – How God healed me

My wife and I were about to go and work abroad for a year but five months before I was ill and just didn't seem to be able to get better. We were thinking about calling off the trip when we met up with our church leaders to talk about the trip. During the evening they gave me a verse that that God had them to. It was this:

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. it has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit”

God's Healing

On that night and through the following days God healed me through that verse. It is amazing! I still get a sense of awe in what God did for me. I come back to that image when I feel stuck or lost and it reminds me that whatever the circumstances around, because my roots are in God, I will have the strength to get through the dry seasons.

That healing has given me a knowledge that God is close and not far, a knowledge that God is interested in each person.

Listen

“Who am I that the Lord of all the earth would care to feel my hurt?” Have a listen to this song...Casting Crowns - Who am I?

How about you?

• What is your experience of God?
• What objects, places, poems, Bible verses are important to you?
• What do you turn to when you feel stressed or worried? To God? To a quiet place?