The foolish things I do

I just had a phone call through from reception; there's four parcels for you , Matt.

Matt goes and is presented with four parcels weighing lots, stacking about a metre high.

See, Matt foolishly regarded himself to be at a loose end before Christmas and applied to be on Imperial's Distance Learning Programme for 2007. Matt's work are paying. Matt has now realised that they now expect him to absorb this metre squared of ecological and sustainability knowledge in the next 18 months and pass exams to prove he did it.

My first priority (as I switch effortlessly from the third person) is to get the materials up the hill in the worst snow fall since the last one. . . Continual learning is a worthy aim - just not quite sure my life has the room for it. Sure God knows what he's doing, if I'm to save the world from all its ills I need to persuade myself and others of the changes that are required.

M

Da Blues . . .

Da Bears give me the Da Blues. Got the overwhelming feeling they were just out classed and out thought by the Peyton super brain . . .

UK readers no doubt are bored of all this American sport dalliance - and so am I!

For what should occur on saturday in the walkabout with the assembled masses (Once Jim remember to come get me) but the fairytale boy making a fairytale return to action. His metronomic left boot is a lot like Jesus; faithful, dependable and reliable. Though Jesus wouldn't have claimed THIS was a try ...

Frankly, after 8 straight defeats including one to the Argies, who gives a ...?

Dearly beloved

We are gathered here, in the sight of William Perry and Walter Payton, to plead for Rex Grossman's mental state.

Dear Lord, this sunday in Miami, let Rex be the player that downed seven teams with a passer rating of over a 100 in the regular season, not the panicky little kid who rated sub 50 in five more interception strewn failure fests, culminating in being pulled with a rating of ZERO vs the mighty Green Bay (Please note, my allegience will always lie with Green Bay, but the Bears are my boys as long as Joy lives in our house).

Dear Lord, let Rex see with the vision that picked off three plays for a final drive of 69 yards in 4Q of the Saints games, not the one who spilled four versus the cheeseheads.

Dear Lord, let him, you know, just not be rubbish. Please?

In the name of the father (Lovie Smith) , the Son (Brian Urlacher) and the Holy Spirit (those umpires in their funky new duds. Nice . . . )

Words that sustain

Jamming with Caddick Tuesday night, was moved to recall the songs that have kept me on my walk since this time last year. Thought I'd share them with you - poetry and truth are a potent mix.

• I've given like a beggar and lived like the rich
  crafted myself a more comfortable cross
  Yet what I am called to is deeper than this,
  It's time you had my whole life
• Reach out your hand to save me where I've have fallen down
  And in your grace, O Saviour lift me from this place
• Your beauty and your majesty are far beyond compare
  You've won my heart now this will be my prayer
  Take the world but give me Jesus
  You're the treasure in this life
  For time and for eternity I know I'm in your care
  You've won my heart now this will be my prayer
• When satan tempts me to despair and tells me of the guilt within
  upward I look and see Him there, who made an end to all my sin
  Because the sinless Saviour died, my sinful soul is counted free
  For God the just is satisfied, to look on Him and pardon me
• Long my imprisoned spirit lay
  fast bound in sin and nature's plight
  Thine eye diffused a quickening ray
  I rose, the dungeon filled with light
  My chains fell off, my heart was free
  I rose, went forth, and followed thee.

180 numero two

XXV

The 14th of December is my 25th birthday. Or more precisely the 4 year anniversary of my 21st birthday, which is the way Billy Connolly suggests we should look at things.
I remember my 21st party. Late in the term of final year, half the CU showed up and left by 11.30 (I’d like to be able to have a dig at their conservatism but the reality is that they all went to ‘drive by’, a D&B night). I found a photo of myself from then, and it’s bizarre that the man I am now was the young man there.

In essence we’re the same, but we’ve diverged from each other. The things I care about now don’t match what he cared about. He was also a free-er person, but in some senses naïve. He had yet to fall in love – lol. For the most part, when I’m not exasperated at my own weakness as a man, I like who I’m growing up to be, and I like the way God is shaping me. I am excited by the way he is moulding me because I can see where it might take me.
I spent some time with my parents last week, and got to thinking how my mum and dad must feel watching me grow up, and become my own man. I wonder if they feel proud, or are scared, or wish they could make my decisions for me. I think there are things about me that they have directly shaped and influenced of which they can be proud – and I hope I bring a measure of satisfaction that having kids was the right thing to do (my dad was dead set against, in the context of a cold war 70’s).

Watching someone grow who you have a direct influence on must be such a mixed joy. I have been reading Luke’s gospel recently and have been struck by the things that happened as Jesus and John grew up , having children soaked in prophecy from the outset, seeing the purposes of God being worked out in their children – Mary’s reaction being to ‘treasure all these things in her heart'(2:19 and 51) and 'ponder them'.

My challenge to myself and whoever cares to listen is this – who has God out you in a similar position in relation to? Who do you have the privilege of sharing life with, reflecting with, praying into and releasing into ministry? Are you pushing too hard, or are you letting God do what He will do as his good pleasing and perfect will dictates , being content to ‘treasure these things in your heart’ until the right moment? Do your duty for sure, but wait for the sense of God’s timing. It could be thirty years.
Matt