It's my first proper day off in about four or five weeks. I have been doing something school or church related every day since then and I must admit I am pleased to have a break.
So what have I done. After waking up at around 8am and thinking it was around 11am I have realised that the affable lie in to which I have been so accustomed to over the years is slowly ebbing away. I wonder if I shall ever return to lay a zzz offering at the feet of St Mattress ever again. All signs point to yes but not anytime soon.
I also discovered this morning the empty front room in the house which has recently been refloored with a tasty laminate is also the most incredible room to play guitar and sing in as the natural reverb is wonderful. I will have to make the most of this until it becomes habitable.
Following this and a handful of tortilla chips I have taken the time to write this blog and watch a documentary on Noah's Ark and how they feel some of the scientific facts of the great flood played out. We all know there was a lot of rain, 40 days and nights worth but we get that in the UK and then some. They talk about the seas were rising, in particular the Mediterranean and the affect this had on the Black Sea (apparently a third of the size it is now). The Med flowed through the Bosphorous and carved a channel which pushed the water through at a speed of around 60mph, the amount of water flowing through was 200 times that which flows over Niagra. The Bosphorous split open and water from the Med raged through.
Why am I explaining this? Not sure but I find it immensely interesting. Especially seeing as before this there was no such thing as rain. I think it just goes to demonstrate the awesome power of God in all things.
So what's been going on over here in the USA? Some rain, no snow and today some sunshine. At this current moment of time I have a black labrador putting its head on my knee next to my laptop screen, it wants attention, it always wants attention. If I acknowledge it then it won't leave me alone for another half an hour.
School has been really good this week, there doesn't feel like any particular reason stands out. it has just been a great week. Everyone is really growing and the honeymoon period is certainly over on the school which I am actually pleased about as the real side of people is coming out.
We have been going through a book called Exploring Worship and we are about 3 chapters in at the moment and it is certainly thought provoking and challenging. I think the hardest thing to write about is how I feel I am growing and what I am learning as it so gradual and it's difficult to really describe what is going on inside. Am I the same person, yes. Have I been challenged, yes. Have I grown, I am sure I have. Others would probably be able to point out how.
I am getting a lot from the bible reading we have been doing every day. We have to read about 6 chapters a day; 3 old testament, 1 psalm/proverb and a couple new testament. In doing so we are required to get a revelation and a way of applying this. In truth I have struggled a bit with this. Not so much the revelation because God's word is living and breathing and I have read things in a new way that I had previously read a thousand times before (well maybe not a thousand but you get the idea). Something really stuck out in Psalm 18 to me, not so much a verse but more a theme. When we cry out to God in times of trouble, not only does he hear us but he moves heaven and earth to help us.
6In my M)">(M)distress I called upon the LORD,
And cried to my God for help;
He heard my voice N)">(N)out of His temple,
And my O)">(O)cry for help before Him came into His ears.
7Then the P)">(P)earth shook and quaked;
And the Q)">(Q)foundations of the mountains were trembling
And were shaken, because He was angry.
8Smoke went up out of His nostrils,
And R)">(R)fire from His mouth devoured;
Coals were kindled by it.
9He S)">(S)bowed the heavens also, and came down
With thick T)">(T)darkness under His feet.
10He rode upon a U)">(U)cherub and flew;
And He sped upon the V)">(V)wings of the wind.
11He made W)">(W)darkness His hiding place, X)">(X)His canopy around Him,
Darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies.
12From the Y)">(Y)brightness before Him passed His thick clouds,
Hailstones and Z)">(Z)coals of fire.
13The LORD also AA)">(AA)thundered in the heavens,
And the Most High uttered His voice,
Hailstones and coals of fire.
14He AB)">(AB)sent out His arrows, and scattered them,
And lightning flashes in abundance, and routed them.
15Then the AC)">(AC)channels of water appeared,
And the foundations of the world were laid bare
At Your AD)">(AD)rebuke, O LORD,
At the blast of the AE)">(AE)breath of Your nostrils.
16He AF)">(AF)sent from on high, He took me;
He drew me out of AG)">(AG)many waters.
17He AH)">(AH)delivered me from my strong enemy,
And from those who hated me, for they were AI)">(AI)too mighty for me.
18They confronted me in AJ)">(AJ)the day of my calamity,
But AK)">(AK)the LORD was my stay.
19He brought me forth also into a AL)">(AL)broad place;
He rescued me, because AM)">(AM)He delighted in me.
I love this, it just shows me how much God fights for us, as a father he gets angry when his children are in trouble. I'm not a dad but one day i hope to be and I know even now if my children were in trouble I would do everything in my power to help them.
This is one of those things that you can really cling to in times of suffering.
I am writing a lot of songs at the moment, not worship stuff but more allegorical and cryptic. I like the freedom they are giving us to write anything. It is not simply bound to one style. The challenge I have set myself is to write two songs a week if not more. It;s going well so far. Tuesday evenings are given over to it.
While I remember I will be drafting a newsletter soon to let everyone know what is going on. I know people back home are wondering so fear ye not. Patience, patience, patience.
In other news I also love my homegroup out here. What a great bunch of people, hilarious in some ways and just so caring. Everyone is in it together and it's never got to the point where it's just one person carrying everything. I really value this. If I had one word from homegroup it would be 'simplify'. Bit of an in joke but there needs to be an air of mystery for those reading this blog.
I have a sweet beard too, I haven't shaved in nearly a month and it is no shave November so it is going to be precious.
Bye bye
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment