Is it true that if your at the bottom, then...

Looking at TV play called 'The Old Oak' filmed a great deal in area worked Easington colliery, co Durham. But it's thoroughly depressing one conclusion is the lowdown the line you are easier it is hurt others and blame outsider's.

Also saw newspaper headline the more poverty you experience harder the impact on your mind. Easier it becomes to develop mental health plus dementia.

It was not so long ago but really feels so much further back. When l was still.psry time youth worker only holding a part time qualification. Met regular to discuss challenge, trying to grasp the implications of the 1989 changes to benefits allowances. So young energetic and confused. We pretty sure they bought we would change the he laws poverty would be ended. More luxurious life style could be evidenced. It wasn't to be.

Hope feels obscene.

You know, the only love I've ever known Was calling' me, calling' me, calling' me.

 Sailboats sailing' a crystal sea
Gypsy dolphins running' free
Seagulls circling endlessly
Calling' me home
Mocking bird, butterfly
Sunset colors, ah, they're filling the sky
Newborn baby starts to cry
Calling' me home
I've been most everywhere
A man can go
I've been this whole world round
Yes, I have
And I've seen most everything
A man can see
One thing I've found
Only thing I've ever found
When I was lost and all alone
I took a look on what I'd done

You know, the only love I've ever known
Was calling' me, calling' me, calling' me.
I heard Him calling' me home
I'm going home, going home
I'm going home, I'm going home

The only thing I've ever known.

Saint Paul’s own report of his adventures is captured in the new testament part of our belief system the Christian tribe follow. 

2 Corinthians 11: “I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 

24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 

25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 

26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 

27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked".

Me nothing quite like that.But got deeper into the faith business. One thing the actual one thing so evident in my life has been this.... A living relationship with Jesus Christ the son of the living God .

Apparently they say the words Jesus spoke collected together only amount to 2 hours in total. The Beatles music over the 10 years they recorded only make 10 hours. Influences attitude and sense it's all true and the spirit guided a snuck like myself.

The only thing I've ever known. Is my LIFE is better for following the Lord.

Hot. Hot. Hot....

Across Malta, where prolonged power cuts have left communities struggling to cope during a heatwave with temperatures exceeding 43% not the normal.

In the UK elderly man with Kidney stone problems, busy getting themselves bitten by strange garden insects. Also fruit trees are just too dry to produce a crop. 

Among the Travails of today is opportunity to value the emphy shown in piece of active listening displayed in Church last Sunday During our normal Sunday afternoon early evening Gathering. With some of the youth we share news of festival, they wish to attend. Spotify is now the 'go to' for music exploration. Justin Beider is still known performance.

Observations around area perhaps built into other detached mo.ents show Youths wanting less Fault intervention.. desire to be in smaller groups. If you have ever been ill with 'kidney stones' you will know about pain passage of streaming your infected area.

Well that's today's drama. 

just thinking aloud.

What does it actually mean to exercised freedom of speech? what would reasonable limits account too plus what would they look like ?. Can we just say what we feel in the public arena. When l was at university in Hull many years ago Christian groups often came under attack relating to LGBT ETC.. Comments plus perceived images held by the educational elite.

When did we first take out little steps into the world of tomorrow. Know the teenage years the most 'formative years' where in Church, Boxing game, plus family and local environment. But first steps to prepare me for the world l was growing up in. Nothing really coming to my mind. Could it just be my memory. 

Sitting by still waters...supping cup of tea, as l write this.

Then the chaos crept back in. Papers piled up. Dishes been waiting very patiently l must add, in the sink. Priority plus secondary emails got buried. Deadlines started being missed. Why l mean know all this is happening in and around myself. Except it's not really chaos it more of a first world statement and first world delimas. But it's adding to confusing seeing circling myself at the present.

At such times ask what not internally in place, forget the CDs not in right case. Vinyl albums not in correct orders. Is something bigger happening to my processing of internal stuff. This is the wisdom of life acquired. They say Biblically it's is written ..."times of trouble discover the true worth of a person"...

So events everyday chaos shouldn't weaken us, no it should widely demonstrate something about the nature of who we are and what we are about. Processing thinking about this moment, thinking about past moments when we experienced moments like now. Am l supporting others?

Am l being a comfort to others?
What help am l offering 
Is there something l can pastorally offer to teach and advise another ?
Am l listening?

 

Not an Odyssey but more of a sojourner!

So sitting not often that offered myself such a privilege, well not recently, when with youth groups we often found ourselves sat around chatting. A gathering.
As l drove home past and across the Westwood. Noticed small group 3 parents females with group young children playing football. Yes in this hot summer we are at last experiencing while mothers sat with wine ending their picnic.
Is that not wonderful the very simple values of sharing, external looking and internal encounters. And the everyday peace that can be ours if we only seek these moments 
But l'm left wanting...well ask you to indulge myself as l ponder again and ponder anew. Why do we not seek more of this?

How did we become so task centered and orientated to miss these opportunities?

I no longer meet with the walking group to take daily walk. This was for long while a few times a week , like the trio from `Last of the summer wine`, strolled along promenade spring summer, autumn winter, these days no longer happen. Moved onwards and away geographically. It got suggested to myself, perhaps l was the glue held us together made this happen. Now l'm gone it's not a gathering. But events end serve a purpose we move away,  moments just don't arrive. Walking group was informal unstructured but it happened as regimented practice. Mostly same time we met knocked on each others doors went to pier head gathered few more walked along the same route.

When do you arrive to a place of togetherness. Now for these days got my gym buddies we chat some at one gym others briefly at another . More commonly at Outer town gym. Good sessions often end with us drinking water, some have a coffee. Plan and sometimes we meet at places away from gym. Also other places where us search knowingly each other internally and externally because we share, we gather often and we love each other in a family way and a growing familiar way these other encounters happen for myself in Church along with Malta contacts .

What endings are taking place for you?
Are you experiencing new gatherings?