I was driving to college this morning and again was stuck by the large van in the driveway for someone doing go-karting and I thought again of Jensen Button, the British formula one racing champion.
I have known of Jensen Button for many years. When he and I both lived in Frome his trophies for go-karting were always on display in the windows of a car showrooms I use to push Ben past in his pram. So we are talking of 18 years ago.
I was wondering how often we see potential in our children and really give up our lives to go for it for them. I wonder if Jensen's Dad even had a premonition of what he was going to be even before he was born which is why he called him Jensen. I don't think his dad is a Christian, though I do wonder if a Christian dad would've been able to push his son to be a formula one racing champion.
But it did strike me of how often as parents we don't look at our children's gifts and talents enough and do not push them, giving up our own dreams to do this. In this world now we would be seen as pushy parents, even accused of putting our dreams on our kids. Well Jensen seems happy enough and seems to have the talent too!
I wonder at times with my two flying the nest what difference it would've made. Though actually as I write this I think that I did see in Ben something about him joining the army even as a small child, not in the going to kill someone but in what it seems he is deciding to do now which is a Driver Air Despatcher, taking supplies to the front lines which could lead to dropping aid and such like too, something I can very much see him doing.
So no I don't feel condemned and I don't want to condemn anyone else but seeing this truck and thinking of Jensen Button I do wonder how much I've prayed for my kids and their destiny and also how much we really do encourage people to do this, or do we just try to get people to bring their kids to church and hope that something rubs off!
And yes Mavis and Joanna I don't think I was saying not to have good Christian friends to praying with, share things with, etc but like you both say in the end it is us and God!
Thursday, 28 January 2010
Sunday, 24 January 2010
Sheep
Should we just follow the shepherd's voice or should we be checking with the other sheep that they are hearing the same thing? Is it better to move hoping that its His voice or stay back checking and double checking with others as to whether it was Him or not? We have a friend who is often saying "the Lord told me...." and going and sometimes it is into some bizarre situations that I do wonder if it is Him or not who told her, but we also have a friend who never does anything unless they've had it confirmed by a lot of people. Which is right? Or rather which does God delight in more? Because I do think that is the question rather than right or wrong. I often wonder if God delights more in our stepping out and maybe not doing "the right thing" more than He delights in us being cautious and fearful of man.
As for the sheep and checking with the flock, surely the only way that we will know we are part of the same flock is because we are all following the same voice, following the same master shepherd not because the sheep are always communicating with each other. Perhaps one of the biggest problems with community, with congregation, is that there is too much checking all are on the same page and not enough checking what the Shepherd is saying. So often we miss what Jesus wants because we are too busy chattering in the flock.
I have been learning a bit about hearing lately because I have tinnitus and the reason I hear it so much is that my brain prioritizes that sound over other sounds and it has got me to wondering how often we prioritize other voices over the voice of the Lord. The example of the shepherd Jesus gave was of a middle eastern shepherd who was constantly singing and talking to his sheep so they always knew where to go. I think because He used this example this is what He is always doing with us and why Paul said we were to pray continuously - prayer being a jargon word for 2 way communication with God - because God is always wanting to be in communication with us. But we have gone and put the sound of God's voice on low priority in our brains and put the voice of man, the voice of the world on high priority.
Interestingly too I have been learning that once a sound is in that priority place, either high or low, it takes a lot of work to alter that which is why, maybe its easier to follow the sheep we can see that the God we can't.
As for the sheep and checking with the flock, surely the only way that we will know we are part of the same flock is because we are all following the same voice, following the same master shepherd not because the sheep are always communicating with each other. Perhaps one of the biggest problems with community, with congregation, is that there is too much checking all are on the same page and not enough checking what the Shepherd is saying. So often we miss what Jesus wants because we are too busy chattering in the flock.
I have been learning a bit about hearing lately because I have tinnitus and the reason I hear it so much is that my brain prioritizes that sound over other sounds and it has got me to wondering how often we prioritize other voices over the voice of the Lord. The example of the shepherd Jesus gave was of a middle eastern shepherd who was constantly singing and talking to his sheep so they always knew where to go. I think because He used this example this is what He is always doing with us and why Paul said we were to pray continuously - prayer being a jargon word for 2 way communication with God - because God is always wanting to be in communication with us. But we have gone and put the sound of God's voice on low priority in our brains and put the voice of man, the voice of the world on high priority.
Interestingly too I have been learning that once a sound is in that priority place, either high or low, it takes a lot of work to alter that which is why, maybe its easier to follow the sheep we can see that the God we can't.
Thursday, 21 January 2010
Haiti
I've had some stuff in my head for this for a bit but life has been busy what with teen hassles and flapping of wings, getting a job that means I'm out the house about 8am. It's only 2hrs but then I carry on to the computer course I'm trying to finish, then to visit with friends, and also have had a full day with the CAB training so when I've been on the computer my head hasn't quite been there. Tonight I have been spoiled by the whole family going off climbing and me having the house to myself. There was the usual pressure to catch up with friends but I am resisting.
Anyway some thoughts I've been having on Haiti - I will not duplicate what has been said so do just check on to other blogs that I've listed and link on to others too.
I was praying for Haiti and reading my Bible. I'm doing Matthew in order and had just come to the feeding of the 5,000. What amazed me is what we do pray when we pray and what we don't pray. Here in this story Jesus multiplies physical things because the people needed him too and it says he was filled with compassion for them. So I got praying that the food, water and medical supplies would be multiplied for Haiti so that there was more than enough.
That very day I get an email from The Message Trust in Manchester who sponsor hundreds of children in Haiti and they have had their luggage allowance multiplied by Virgin Atlantic to half a ton each (each of those in the Message Trust who are going over) and then today I see the headlines that the Haiti aid appeal has reached £38million and is growing. Is this an snswer to my prayer? It wasn't quite what I asked for but I do see it as that.
It did make me wonder though how often we pray for healing, conversions, safety, even wealth but don't pray for God to do again the miracle of multiply vital life needs.
Anyway some thoughts I've been having on Haiti - I will not duplicate what has been said so do just check on to other blogs that I've listed and link on to others too.
I was praying for Haiti and reading my Bible. I'm doing Matthew in order and had just come to the feeding of the 5,000. What amazed me is what we do pray when we pray and what we don't pray. Here in this story Jesus multiplies physical things because the people needed him too and it says he was filled with compassion for them. So I got praying that the food, water and medical supplies would be multiplied for Haiti so that there was more than enough.
That very day I get an email from The Message Trust in Manchester who sponsor hundreds of children in Haiti and they have had their luggage allowance multiplied by Virgin Atlantic to half a ton each (each of those in the Message Trust who are going over) and then today I see the headlines that the Haiti aid appeal has reached £38million and is growing. Is this an snswer to my prayer? It wasn't quite what I asked for but I do see it as that.
It did make me wonder though how often we pray for healing, conversions, safety, even wealth but don't pray for God to do again the miracle of multiply vital life needs.
Sunday, 17 January 2010
Holocaust and Trafficking
I posted this on a prayer network we are trying to starting in our town. Its a bit of a slow start. Only 8 people on board, 2 of them us, one is an email address we are using, 3 people using email address they hardly check and one lovely active lady. Lots of prayer needed to start a prayer network in a denominationaly divided town.
But anyway what really did strike me as I prayed in remember the Holocaust and our present human trafficking injustices is how similar they are and I wonder how history will remember how we as Christians dealt with human trafficking. So much gets ignored because we would have to so change our ways. I see it as so similar to Wilberforce and the abolition of slavery and the Holocaust and now.
"Just wanted to send out a prayer request to remind everyone to just pray about
1. that 10th Jan is Holocaust remembrance day and that it would be good to pray for all those who lost their lives in the Holocaust - the millions of Jews but also the Slavs, handicapped, and those who stood up to Hitler. And whilst I was praying this morning about it felt we also should pray about those who turned a blind eye to it all and that we are not like them
which brings me to
2. the 24/7 prayer community are praying from 10th Jan to 17th Jan in regard to Human Trafficking - which very much centres around the sex industry but also covers those who are involved in the chocolate and even the food industry, where we want more for less. And in this I felt whilst praying that so often we turn a blind eye to it because we really do not want to know. We can stand up against it when it is in the sex industry but to think that if we do not buy fair trade chocolate then we can actually be getting chocolate that has been grown and picked by children in slavery. This is not an exageration. And even some of the regular foods we get in our supermarkets are picked by illegal immigrants who have been trafficked over here with the promises that the streets are paved with gold.
Dear Jesus please help us to love and care for all and open our eyes to the injustices of this world."
But anyway what really did strike me as I prayed in remember the Holocaust and our present human trafficking injustices is how similar they are and I wonder how history will remember how we as Christians dealt with human trafficking. So much gets ignored because we would have to so change our ways. I see it as so similar to Wilberforce and the abolition of slavery and the Holocaust and now.
"Just wanted to send out a prayer request to remind everyone to just pray about
1. that 10th Jan is Holocaust remembrance day and that it would be good to pray for all those who lost their lives in the Holocaust - the millions of Jews but also the Slavs, handicapped, and those who stood up to Hitler. And whilst I was praying this morning about it felt we also should pray about those who turned a blind eye to it all and that we are not like them
which brings me to
2. the 24/7 prayer community are praying from 10th Jan to 17th Jan in regard to Human Trafficking - which very much centres around the sex industry but also covers those who are involved in the chocolate and even the food industry, where we want more for less. And in this I felt whilst praying that so often we turn a blind eye to it because we really do not want to know. We can stand up against it when it is in the sex industry but to think that if we do not buy fair trade chocolate then we can actually be getting chocolate that has been grown and picked by children in slavery. This is not an exageration. And even some of the regular foods we get in our supermarkets are picked by illegal immigrants who have been trafficked over here with the promises that the streets are paved with gold.
Dear Jesus please help us to love and care for all and open our eyes to the injustices of this world."
Tuesday, 12 January 2010
Plough Sunday
Thank you laddies for all your lovely encouragement. Julie you need to connect with Mavis as you are both in Yeovil. Wish I lived closer. Ian and I were only saying over breakfast this morning that we wonder how we meet people here who are on a similar planet to us.
Anyway an interesting thing we discovered over the weekend, that the Sunday just gone, the 1st after Epiphany use to be known as Plough Sunday when the farmers would bring in their ploughs to be bless for the coming season of ploughing the land. They would've also sharpened them and got everything ready. Then Monday would be a holiday, if the weather was right, and everyone would get out and help with the ploughing, because as we should know if you don't plough you can't sow, and if you don't sow you don't get a harvest.
Another interesting thing would be that it is better to plough and then have frost and snow as this breaks the ground up better and will produce a better harvest. And there is something about snow that when it is on the land the water content is different and so again produces a greater harvest!!!
But we were also saying how now that we are no longer so connected with the land we do forget all these things and can miss the season, miss what God wants us to do.
Then it was exciting this morning to open and email from Emerge Wales about responses to the weather to find one from Catch The Fire Ministries which says :
Preparing the Ground for greater harvest
"I woke up yesterday and saw myself flying over UK and Europe and most of it covered in snow instead of seeing the usual green fields. In these days the snow has fallen even in places that don't normally get snow - and has lasted longer than for many of us in our life times - definitely something to be taken notice of. The physical is a sign of the spiritual. I felt the Lord say - though the sins of the nation and nations are as scarlet I am here to make them white as snow. A large gathering of souls. I desire nations to turn to me and I am preparing the ground and warming the hearts. As the blanket of snow covers the ground so there is something happening hidden in the hearts of people across the nations of Europe and the UK today in this season even though they are not aware. They are going to be stopped in their tracks by an encounter with heavenly Snow treatment. This is a season to signify a change in the spiritual atmosphere - the blanket of snow is covering the earth and will bring a cleansing. Following this time people will have increased hunger for the truth of the gospel and will respond to the blood of Jesus salvation - increase of souls being won - people will hear and see and listen and respond to the truth and be drawn to it instead of repelled and even those who wouldn't normally be interested will be. Also as snow melts from underneath and waters the earth - the love of God melts hearts and brings hope and light and truth and the barriers come down and the truth feeds the heart - gradually soaking in deeper and deeper. In a months time the new spring bulbs will be popping up and as the truth of God's word and as the blood of Jesus cleanses and softens hearts so new life will spring forth - beautiful new life of new souls won for Jesus. We have already seen opportunities to share the gospel and warmth of Gods love to those who would not have listened before, this is going to increase and we need to be ready to take the opportunities we are given - they will come suddenly, in the supermarket, talking on facebook, anywhere and anytime - be ready to make the most of them and respond to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. He's preparing the ground for us so keep your eyes and ears open. A season of sowing and harvesting is upon us." Mick & Sue Taylor, Catch the Fire Ministries
I've copied all of it even though some is not quite what I've been saying because I think its really good.
So we are being prepared and as with the building of our chicken run which is on hold now because of the ground being frozen we need to be watching the sky, watching the weather, being in touch with the land so that we can go and do when the time is ready.
Anyway an interesting thing we discovered over the weekend, that the Sunday just gone, the 1st after Epiphany use to be known as Plough Sunday when the farmers would bring in their ploughs to be bless for the coming season of ploughing the land. They would've also sharpened them and got everything ready. Then Monday would be a holiday, if the weather was right, and everyone would get out and help with the ploughing, because as we should know if you don't plough you can't sow, and if you don't sow you don't get a harvest.
Another interesting thing would be that it is better to plough and then have frost and snow as this breaks the ground up better and will produce a better harvest. And there is something about snow that when it is on the land the water content is different and so again produces a greater harvest!!!
But we were also saying how now that we are no longer so connected with the land we do forget all these things and can miss the season, miss what God wants us to do.
Then it was exciting this morning to open and email from Emerge Wales about responses to the weather to find one from Catch The Fire Ministries which says :
Preparing the Ground for greater harvest
"I woke up yesterday and saw myself flying over UK and Europe and most of it covered in snow instead of seeing the usual green fields. In these days the snow has fallen even in places that don't normally get snow - and has lasted longer than for many of us in our life times - definitely something to be taken notice of. The physical is a sign of the spiritual. I felt the Lord say - though the sins of the nation and nations are as scarlet I am here to make them white as snow. A large gathering of souls. I desire nations to turn to me and I am preparing the ground and warming the hearts. As the blanket of snow covers the ground so there is something happening hidden in the hearts of people across the nations of Europe and the UK today in this season even though they are not aware. They are going to be stopped in their tracks by an encounter with heavenly Snow treatment. This is a season to signify a change in the spiritual atmosphere - the blanket of snow is covering the earth and will bring a cleansing. Following this time people will have increased hunger for the truth of the gospel and will respond to the blood of Jesus salvation - increase of souls being won - people will hear and see and listen and respond to the truth and be drawn to it instead of repelled and even those who wouldn't normally be interested will be. Also as snow melts from underneath and waters the earth - the love of God melts hearts and brings hope and light and truth and the barriers come down and the truth feeds the heart - gradually soaking in deeper and deeper. In a months time the new spring bulbs will be popping up and as the truth of God's word and as the blood of Jesus cleanses and softens hearts so new life will spring forth - beautiful new life of new souls won for Jesus. We have already seen opportunities to share the gospel and warmth of Gods love to those who would not have listened before, this is going to increase and we need to be ready to take the opportunities we are given - they will come suddenly, in the supermarket, talking on facebook, anywhere and anytime - be ready to make the most of them and respond to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. He's preparing the ground for us so keep your eyes and ears open. A season of sowing and harvesting is upon us." Mick & Sue Taylor, Catch the Fire Ministries
I've copied all of it even though some is not quite what I've been saying because I think its really good.
So we are being prepared and as with the building of our chicken run which is on hold now because of the ground being frozen we need to be watching the sky, watching the weather, being in touch with the land so that we can go and do when the time is ready.
Wednesday, 6 January 2010
Running with the Weather
This week started out look very busy, lots going on, lots to juggle about, but now the snow has come. It was one of those things when I heard about it I didn't quite believe it and so made sandwiches for Tabi for college and me for work, but we had them for lunch at home today.
This is Ben's first winter in a job and he's found it hard, that whole thing of not being about to play in the snow, of having to bunk at a friend's house tonight as he wont be able to get in tomorrow morning, of not thinking about all this when he packed to go to work mid morning today once the roads have cleared.
And hard for me as mum to keep my mouth shut and not nag him to ask the people he is staying with to give him lunch, much as I would love to.
But it has got me thinking esp from reading these prophecies of life changing how we so need to be not just watching the seasons but realising that we need to be willing to be flexible and to go with the flow with them. It is not just about watching but about reacting to what we see. We can see that it is going to snow but what do we do about it, still carry on the same old way and hope its all ok or bend and flow with the changes?
Talking of prophecies too I was reading Joanna's blog (The Journey) and where she says about Martin Scott prophecying over them about travel and then how they started to make things happen. From reading the stuff that is said to be going to happen this year how much am I willing to make things happen?
Though I do say I would love a clear directive from God to know what my "mission" is for this year. It still all seems very very vague. Doors sort of opening but not too clearly. But maybe too I need to just watch the seasons and then react to what the weather sends me?
This is Ben's first winter in a job and he's found it hard, that whole thing of not being about to play in the snow, of having to bunk at a friend's house tonight as he wont be able to get in tomorrow morning, of not thinking about all this when he packed to go to work mid morning today once the roads have cleared.
And hard for me as mum to keep my mouth shut and not nag him to ask the people he is staying with to give him lunch, much as I would love to.
But it has got me thinking esp from reading these prophecies of life changing how we so need to be not just watching the seasons but realising that we need to be willing to be flexible and to go with the flow with them. It is not just about watching but about reacting to what we see. We can see that it is going to snow but what do we do about it, still carry on the same old way and hope its all ok or bend and flow with the changes?
Talking of prophecies too I was reading Joanna's blog (The Journey) and where she says about Martin Scott prophecying over them about travel and then how they started to make things happen. From reading the stuff that is said to be going to happen this year how much am I willing to make things happen?
Though I do say I would love a clear directive from God to know what my "mission" is for this year. It still all seems very very vague. Doors sort of opening but not too clearly. But maybe too I need to just watch the seasons and then react to what the weather sends me?
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