have you ever noticed?

Have you ever looked at the adverts that appear when you write anything on the web? It is amazing how they reflect what you have just written. I wonder what will appear when I put this up?

Container

I had no idea that you need the strength of Samson to open and close a container until last night. I am helping some friends to move out of their house temporarily and their things need to go in a container and it was not as simple as it seems. We tugged and tugged at those doors in the dark until finally we worked out how to open them and closing and locking them again presented some difficulty. If I ever do this again at least I will have a better idea of how to handle it.

Will I Finish Well?

I find that the older I get, the more I see some disappointments I did not think I would see. People I once knew who professed faith in christ now deny him. At the time, I could not have envisaged any of them doing that and some deny him very vehemently. One wonders if they were ever really saved in the first place? I am sorry to say that it is like the parable of the sower and the seed. Some fell on all sorts of bad ground and did not last. Am I on good ground

It does however cause me to re evaluate myself. It is those who endure to the end that shall be saved. It is like being in a long race and you have to have the finishing line in mind as your goal and the object is to last the distance so that you cross it. It is what I call finishing well. So far, so good, I am still going on with the lord and as we in the church heard from a recording some months ago, the day after my conversion, I woke up the next morning, still a believer and I have gone on since then every morning waking up still a believer and I trust that I will go on like that until one day it is my final morning. However, I am not content to remain as I am. I think that we all need to keep growing in knowledge and grace and not be content with what we have of the lord now. We always need more.

Crewing

Last night at the Crew was interesting, but I still do not see myself as a childrens leader. It took me back to the days when I was their age and I was a cub. I do not think I realised then that the meeting is short. They seemed longer and the reason they seemed that way is because the meeting is structured to be fast moving. Presumably this is to keep the childrens attention. It was also nice to put faces to names that I have only heard of at the prayer meeting. I had in fact seen some of those faces before at a prize giving on the estate.

I think the sort of work that goes on is more vital now than it was in my time, and it was pretty vital then. I do pray that it will produce some long term fruits.

Boys will be boys. They are studying Moses and that means coming to some understanding of Egypyt. One of the tables was put up on end to be a display board. Two of the boys got behind it and waggled their arms so that the board looked like it had four arms. I would probably have done that at their age.

In anticipation of next week, which has got to be about the burning bush, one of the girls said that when Moses went into the desert, he got married and his father in law was called Jethro. This is correct, but not at all what we were looking for.

I do think that the crew has some advantages over the cubs and scouts. There is no uniform, so parents do not have to spend money on one. It is totally christian based and therefore more likely to achieve its goals than church based cubs and scouts. When I was a cub, it was not church based, but the chaplin they had happened to be my minister. To be honest, as far as christiainity was concerned, I learned absolutely nothing in the cubs or scouts. I learned some usefull practical things, but nothing spiritual. The crew is totally spiritual, it would be impossible to be in it and learn nothing.

Walk Like an egyptian

dealing with Kids is not my thing. I get on well with individual children, but in the formal sense, I would say that it is just not my thing. I was a dreadfull Sunday school teacher many years ago and there are now two grown woman of faith who came out of that and the best I can say is I did not muck it up for them. In fact one of them is in charge of the Sunday School now and I think I can safely say that she is better than I ever was.

With all that in mind, I will be at the crew tonight. Can you believe it? This is due to the fact that the usual men are away and the current law has been interpreted to mean that women have to be there for the girls and men have to be there for the boys. As the usual men are not going to be there, I am standing in so that the meeting can go ahead.

This manner of interpretation is by no means universal. In the theatre a woman can chaperone boys and girls but a man can only do it for boys. It seems to me that the interpretation of the law is subject to those who have to take the responsibility and there therefor you need what are deemed to be good working practices.

Well we will see how tonight goes. They will be looking at Moses tonight (Walk like an Egyptian)

An induction

I was at an induction. Sometimes they can give you an idea of what lies ahead. I have no doubt that on the surface everything will be lovely, but It alarms me when people are told if they have a prophetic word to just give it. Either the bible is complete, or it is not and if people do give a prophetic word then then the bible must be incomplete ( which I do not believe)

then there is the subject of calling. As far as I can see when God called people he spoke audibly to them and they were called such as Moses before the burning bush and Paul on the road to demascus. However when paul planted churches he told them to appoint pastors and elders depending on peoples giftings. He did not say appoint them as they were called.

He also did not expect one church to take any reponisibility for decisions made by another church. Each church was independent. At this one I did not answer with everyone else a question that was put to the visitors from other churches concerning supporting this ministry. They and they alone are responsible for it, visitors are mearly well wishers and observers.

I await and see how things will pan out, but like tends to attract like. I doubt if they will be challenged where they badly need to be challenged such as in the nature of what church is, or if anyone gave a prophetic word, would it be challenged? I doubt it, however I may be wrong and I sincerly hope that I am. I said that like usually begets like, but sometimes God in his providence puts someone in who is not at all like and brings in much needed change. In both of my churches this has happened. I hope it happens in this case.

An induction

I am going to an induction tomorrow. I expect it to be ok, but I am hoping that this new minister will be more than they bargained for. I think that the church today has become a shadow of what it should be. They only preach on the more positive parts of scripture and skip over the bits that present difficulty. If there is one thing that I will say for sysematic preaching it is that the preacher is forced to preach on the more difficult, or even downright depresssing parts of scripture. it is all revealed by God and we need to get to grips with all of it, including things like Lamentation, or Job, neither of which makes for very cheerfull reading.

Kind and unkind

There are people, such as I who can be most unkind, on the other hand there are also those such as C who is the exact opposite. Both profess faith, but I think C is much more credible. I know I can be cranky when I am tired, or when I am just feeling empty, but I really do think that showing Kindness to people reflects the saviour. He is kind to us, so we should be kind to others, especially to fellow believers. Some believers would drive you up the wall, but never the less, they are the lords chosen and should be treated as such. This does not mean being foolish. There are those who believe false doctrine and we should not believe that which is false. We should however do our best to get on with everyone.

If people cannot see christ in me, then there is something far wrong. I trust that people do see christ in me.

Jims Birthday Party

Jims Birthday party was lovely. I am glad I was there for what will be a once in a lifetime experience. When mum was expecting him, I told her that if it was a boy I would put him in the bucket. I never did and he has proved to be a good brother. I love him very dearly. He has supported me in many ways especially when I left the town and he took on the hard work of looking out for our parents and our mothers twin sister. This helped me a great deal to be where I am.

I took a lot of photos of the party and put them on facebook. I also recorded a short silent video of him sending up a sky lantern.

Brothers Birthday party

I will be traveling to Dunfermline tomorrow for my brothers birthday party. I am really looking forward to the party. It will be good to celebrate and to see the family. I have not celebrated a birthday with him for many years. He has been a great support to me. My visit will be all to brief. I must make sure that I make room for photos.

Allowances

The process about allowances in underway. I think this is very stressfull for the leadership. It shows on G.

I therefore realise all the more prayer is needed. There are myths that abound on this subject. Such as George Muller never asked for money. This is nonsense. What he did was very Godly, but people who supported the childrens homes clearly could see there were needs and he did issue accounts. Needs can be deduced from accounts.

25th Anniversary Weekend again

Yesterday and today was just brilliant. I enjoyed talking to people, directing them and I think I have made a new friend. He was one of the boys at the school and he is doing good work for the lord. I find that I enjoy fellowship with him.

I think that this weekend will be one of the highlights of my life. I have seen several highlights since God brought me here and this is definetely one of the.

Peter Maiden was our speaker tonight and tomorrow the speaker will be Paul Darlington

A phone call from F

I got a phone call from F last night. She seemed worried about her son. He is in hospital. I have tried in vain to phone her since. We may not be together, but I do care. I pray for both of them and I hope that I may hear some news soon.

25th Anniversary Weekend

This coming weekend marks the 25th Anniversary of OM and Quinta Hall coming together. I have invited people from the theatre to the Friday evening cheese and wine. I really hope some of them come. All day Saturday should be good, interacting with people and I look forward to Peter Maidens address on Saturday and Paul Darlingtons address to the assembled churches on site on Sunday morning. I wonder what surprises there will be?