Oh the Places you can go!
I went for a wonderful walk along the Rhine this last weekend- crisp, clear air. I was trying to skip stones (probably not possible on a frozen eddie, but still, you never know), and then the local swan population came my way. They are really beautiful birds, so gracious (once, my dad was attacked by a swan, and we realised that grace & beauty don't necessarily equate with pleasant!). It was good to clear my head, and be outside, just breathing. I sometimes think we don't do that very much.
Term has started, and that means that rhythms of life can begin again - climbing (still at 5+ level, but I climbed a wall today so hard and my arms were so pumped that I was actually in pain from it)... meals with friends... teaching. This term I'm team teaching Church History (from the pre-reformers to now... quite a lot of scope for up-rooting preconceptions dear to students' hearts! :-)) and Spiritual Formation. The latter is going to be the challenge - after setting the basis for growth, the students (and I'm accompanying them) are going to be engaged in practices of the church - and THAT I think will be hugely stretching for us all.
Heather & I had time together in the airport yesterday, which was a great ministry to me - I hope also to her. We talked a lot about prayer, and crucifiction. I think that at times I've been prone to underestimate the need for prayer, & have been shy about it - but the more I grapple with life, & depression, & the universe, & church, the more I realise that somehow the discipline -the breathing of prayer - the unceasing of prayer, is a desperate need for me, for us.
Also been re-reading the orthodox prayer poems I printed from the blog 'Now & Ever' (from Matt F's site).... Brilliantly woven expressions of love & prayer. I hope that reading them will mean I absorb them into my soul...
Finally - various up-dates:
the bathroom
- nearly done...
Andrew's bike
-nearly stolen (he stopped them in the final clip of the chain!)
reading - finished L'Engle, started Orhan Patuk, Emerging Church...
music for some reason I love the Gorrilaz right now, can't stop playing it... & Gonzalez... & Avro Part (totally subjective, totally based on mood)
PhD paper Still working on it!
Term has started, and that means that rhythms of life can begin again - climbing (still at 5+ level, but I climbed a wall today so hard and my arms were so pumped that I was actually in pain from it)... meals with friends... teaching. This term I'm team teaching Church History (from the pre-reformers to now... quite a lot of scope for up-rooting preconceptions dear to students' hearts! :-)) and Spiritual Formation. The latter is going to be the challenge - after setting the basis for growth, the students (and I'm accompanying them) are going to be engaged in practices of the church - and THAT I think will be hugely stretching for us all.
Heather & I had time together in the airport yesterday, which was a great ministry to me - I hope also to her. We talked a lot about prayer, and crucifiction. I think that at times I've been prone to underestimate the need for prayer, & have been shy about it - but the more I grapple with life, & depression, & the universe, & church, the more I realise that somehow the discipline -the breathing of prayer - the unceasing of prayer, is a desperate need for me, for us.
Also been re-reading the orthodox prayer poems I printed from the blog 'Now & Ever' (from Matt F's site).... Brilliantly woven expressions of love & prayer. I hope that reading them will mean I absorb them into my soul...
Finally - various up-dates:
the bathroom
- nearly done...
Andrew's bike
-nearly stolen (he stopped them in the final clip of the chain!)
reading - finished L'Engle, started Orhan Patuk, Emerging Church...
music for some reason I love the Gorrilaz right now, can't stop playing it... & Gonzalez... & Avro Part (totally subjective, totally based on mood)
PhD paper Still working on it!
posted by erdreid at 15:53
2 Comments:
Good ole' Gorillaz. Damon Albarn is a very smart musician. I love the Blur song 'Tender.'
Hey bro, We've had the bike chained outside, and Andrew heard a clink, went out, two lads ran away, he touched the lock & it fell apart in his hands... bike was still there though! The blighters.
Damon is VERY smart Matt, you're right.
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