Follow on .....

After having had a weeny little splurge (posting below), I went over to SB's blog where I haven't been for a week or two and read this. Fitted how I was feeling perfectly. I'm pretty sure Stuart won't mind me quoting him and Shane Claybourne (what book is that from Stuart?)

"The things that 'deceive' us I suspect are much more likely to be subtle temptations of suburbia than some big heresy issue.

On this Shane Claybourne writes:

‘Sometimes people ask me if I am scared living in the inner city. I usually reply, ‘I’m more scared living in suburbs’. The Scriptures say we should most fear not those things that can destroy the body but those things that can destroy the soul. While the ghettoes may have heir share of violence and crime, the suburbs are the home of the more subtle demonic forces – numbness, complacency, comfort – and it is these that can eat away at our souls’.

I think we need some folks to create a few collisons for us between commonly accepted values and behaviours in our church life and the inconvenient ways of Jesus.

(Excerpt from a sermon preached last night at an ordination and induction)

Recent Discoveries

I've now been here for three weeks and I have made some very important discoveries.

1. buses are great
2. Starbucks is not an option for morning coffee for people on a budget
3. my accent stands out in the school playground
4. it's possible to play piano proficiently, sing beautifully, canoe for Scotland, play tennis like Andy Murray and swim like a fish before the age of 12
5. my new colleagues ARE wonderful
6. spiders of gargantuan proportions rule the city
7. Earl Grey tastes like tea that's gone off
8. I'm not very good at telling polite lies. (yes, at times, no, at other times!!)
9. ceilidhs are possibly the best kind of social function to ever have been invented
10. children, however full their lives are of activity, achievement, belongings and friends, all have have the same desires and longings. They want to be listened to, they want to have fun, they want to have access to all the good things of God that they perceive adults do. If taught well, they will take on the rights and the responsibilities.

I'm here helping with that because I believe, as do all my family, that we were called by God to do so. But I'm uncomfortable with the growing sense that I just might have to go against the flow sometimes; and this has the potential of being perceived as bolshey (sorry, can't think of a better word to use)

Before I came here, I was asked what my greatest fear was. It was of being misunderstood. But the greatest role model ever was the Lord Jesus who was despised and rejected. I'm sure I can face anything that comes before me at any stage in my life if I only draw in close to him :-) And I love people; and since coming here have felt an even stronger sense of desperation for those OUT there, not in the warm and comfort of the established church, to know Jesus, to know how brilliant it is to be loved and have someone walking with them every day.

It's my birthday

Hey, it's my birthday today and I am feeling old....I made a Farrah Fawcett reference in the New Office today and was reminded that some people present wouldn't know who she was!

Ah, time is most def catching up with me.

Things continue to unfold in an exciting manner here in the new city. Can't really say much more than that other than we know on an almost daily basis that this is where we are meant to be. But I do feel a bit different in the playground. My kids don't bring 100% organic stuff for their playpiece - oh, sorry - SNACK. And I *really* notice the accents much more in this city; but it is a beautiful place.

The Office

Thought I might post a few thoughts on My New Office as it is so different from anywhere I have ever been before.

It's open plan and (I think) spacious, although pretty full of people and equipment.
There are nine people working in the main space. It has a mezzanine level with two more desks at it and a little kitchen area. The first time I saw people working on the mezzanine level - and yes, they are guys, I just thought of Daniel Cleaver's office in the film Bridget Jones. The architect MUST have had it in mind!

It's not actually all that crowded; perhaps a little cluttered (that'll be my stuff!) but if you have ever worked in a large office (as I did when with the RBS Head Office)or in dreaded "pods" then there is quite a lot of space with storage perhaps being the main issue.

Very appealingly, there is a kind of communal cup when it comes to office snacks - there is a staff fruit bowl or staff donuts/biscuits, depending on the mood of the staff. There is "emergency chocolate" (80% cocoa solids, none the less) in the Office Manager's drawer. And a lovely atmosphere too. I was worried that I would really miss that about my previous place of work (the main office was a bit of a hub, but we all had small personal offices too).

I can also see the great benefits in communication; a walk down the corridor just becomes a gentle call-out to ask a question or check a detail with someone.

I've not been here long enough to comment if it's too noisy to work in or not, but it does feel kind of weird when it's totally quiet and you need to make a phone call. In an open plan office you *do* hear what other people are saying. I'm much more aware that I shouldn't be sound as flippant on the phone - the person on the other side of the call knows me but those around don't necessarily (yet).

The reality is that I don't spend all my working time in this base as I am required to meet with so many people and I delight in doing that. I love visiting and chatting to people, finding out what they think about children's ministry here.

It begins!

Resurfacing.....

I'm BACK!! Like the Olympic flame I never disappear.
Two weeks away from this blog is enough as now I really do need it for its cathartic value.

I don't know how I survived the emotions of last week. I know a lot of my friends will be reading this and I have to say I have never felt so loved. Two weeks ago we were treated to a leaving party replete with "Farewell" photographic HUGE banner (handy for my next leaving 'do) and squillions of people at it, then the next week on to the business of leading the holiday club with a brilliant, brilliant team supplemented by fab devotional times led by fellow leaders, where we really entered God's presence in the 9-9.30 times. This was exceptionally special in this club, looking at the book of Luke with 110 children, many of whom who had never looked at a Bible before. The programme ran like clockwork, time went by so quickly, the DVD/powerpoint/embedded sound files/drama team/band worked together perfectly and made my job as event leader so easy. I love my deputy leader to bits and am still missing her (((((( V ))))))) A week past Friday the wonderful J and J, ably assisted by another fab team (incl the assoc pastor grilling burgers like nobody's business!) fed 300 people in our bedecked.....errrr, lane..... down the outside of the church, and celebrated the kids week with a homemade DVD of the week and other pictures. I might sneak one on here.

But is this nostalgia, the cloudy fug of good memories speaking? Absolutely not. We had a great week and it was a great way to end 25 years in this church (I really was very young when I came to faith)

The morning service at the end of the holiday club was just a tearfest for us personally as not only did we receive humungous amounts of gifts but after having hands laid upon us and lovingly prayed for, the worship ministry leader snuck round to where Mr HIWWC had been leading worship throughout the service to lead the congregation in one of his songs (currently being recorded on an album). We knelt at the front with tears streaming down our faces. We've never left a church before. I wonder if that is an increasingly rare thing?



And into this week. I hate first days. I remember them all. First day at primary school (I cried), secondary school (I was sick with nerves as I knew no-one), university (was hung over), RBS Bothwell St branch (I trembled), RBS head office marketing dept (I was petrified) , Social Work Department (also petrified), teacher training college (actually, this one was OK), P Secondary School (underconfident and scared), B Secondary school (I cried, it was a compulsory transfer due to a schools merger), last church (nervous and in awe) and now this church on 18 August 2008. On Monday I had to go away for a stiff talk to myself and to God because of "stuff". I know how to deal with it and I'm called to deal with it and get on with why I was called to come here. Oh my, comfort is easier but dealing with this next stage in our life's journey is going to be so good for us.

For smile purposes.....

Holiday club is going really, really well. The team are absolutely AMAZING.
Wanted to post this as it made me laugh so much tonight.

The Week So Far.....

:::::phew:::::: one big week has just past and one more is ahead......

I needed to be up extra early today to get a lot of things said to God. I awoke feeling a tad on the low side; overwhelmed; in need of "coorying up" with the one who created me.

I feel a weight of expectation on me as I lead the club this coming week. This morning I needed to cast that aside and ask for the Holy Spirit to help me do all I have to do this week for the sake of the children who are coming for the week; I so, so, so want them to encounter Jesus. Something touched me this morning; about how attractive Jesus was to people; they crowded round him; they wanted to be where he was. I've loved the Genesis narratives we have used over the past few years to tell the story of Joseph but I'm excited to be ending my time in this fellowship with stories from Luke.

I've worked full time since returning from Canada on July 16th and I'm feeling a bit tired. We've been trying to keep our house clean and tidy for potential viewers; no mean feat during school summer holidays. We've also been organising lots of visits for the kids to various generous friends who have had them round to play/eat/even sleepover :-)

So in some ways I am looking forward to a little rest or break in the week between leaving this job and starting the new one; though the reality is with the move happening a week on Thursday we'll have less time for that than we thought. Can't pack up the house or clear out my office while the holiday club is in full swing. Still, three days of long lies i.e. past 7.30am is very appealing at this moment in time!

The church family organised a Farewell Party on Friday night. It was a great night and we are very touched by the love shown to us. If I speak about it more I will cry on this blog and that would be messy. More about that in a week's time after our final service. Particular thanks are due to our dear friends Pete and Henry who trawled through my musical history on Facebook and iTuned music for the disco from my "music i like" preferences. I have a suspicious feeling that there is more Mac'd Visuals coming my way..I spied an embarrassing photo on a desktop at the sound desk (OH NO!)

How many church leaving do's have Sparky's Dream on the playlist by the awesomely wonderful Teenage Fan Club? :-) Classic tune.