Five Alive

For some reason when I thought of the title for today’s blog I was thinking about a fruit juice that I think was called the same name because it had five different fruits that contributed to the juice. I’m not sure if it’s still around or if it’s been taken off the market. It would be a pity if it has ... only for the purposes of this blog, not because I like it or anything. Those juice combinations didn’t always work out for the best and if my taste bud memory serves me faithfully that particular juice concoction wasn’t among me best.

All of which provides an insightful, though completely irrelevant set-up for today’s blog celebrating the fifth birthday of my firstborn child Deborah Dryden. I’m not sure if I’ve written that much about my experiences on being a father. I don’t think I have which is interesting when a significant part of my life and evident vocation is to be a father to my children. As me wife currently struggles and hobbles and waddles with our third child steadily developing in her tummy it is an apt time to reflect on the first one out of our relationship.

I didn’t prepare myself that much for marriage and even less for parenthood. I didn’t read up on it that voraciously. I didn’t do the usual sit down with the significant elders in my life who could pass on words of wisdom. Indeed the season before the firstborn’s appearance was a traumatic one for me and the marital relationship. So even if I did make the time to have those reads and chats I would not have had the emotional capacity to take it on. Such as it is then, at the most precious time in a man’s life when he beholds the miracle of childbirth I was not fully with it to appreciate it. No tears rolling down me eyes at the sight of this fluid covered baby.

Thankfully all that has changed significantly over those five years and whenever I look at Deborah now, I know the grace of God is real. Even whilst I was writing yesterday’s blog I was thinking about grace and how it works very much in the parental analogy. In a real way that child has done nothing to deserve the fuss made over her. She hasn’t worked for it, she hasn’t put in her hours, she hasn’t done anything and yet she is the beneficiary of being fed, clothed, catered for physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually by doting parents who evidently love to do it.

Therein is the rub – the bond is love. It’s not based on works done, it’s based on love. That is exactly how I often think it works with my relationship with my heavenly Father. He doesn’t love me for the things I do, He loves me because He is love and thus is the essence of loving out of His character. Thus to a large extent my actions and behaviour does not alter His character. Of course that doesn’t mean I then just stay in baby mode and just be a beneficiary taking it all in and only responding by crying when I’m hungry and belching when I’m finished with the food. The act of gratitude shows my active engagement in the grace exchange.

At five, though, Deborah has developed a number of attributes and characteristics that makes her quite a different being than the one that emerged from the womb of her mother all those years ago. Now she is a most verbose little girl quick to point out when something is not fair as well as give ongoing commentary on the many aspects of her busy life. Albeit a soft girl, she is very wily and knows what note to play at a given time. She is also a courteous girl, which delights me so. I do enjoy some of her verbal ramblings and her general conduct makes me pleased. Beyond that though, I still look at this now five year old girl and thank God for her. She is amazing and to know the circumstances in which she popped out and how that has not doused any sense of joy in her makes my heart glad. Seeing the creative developments flourishing in her and noting her God-given special characteristics makes it ever so exciting to be her dad.

So as five comes and goes today and as she milks being the centre of attention my heart’s desire is that she will still bear in mind that the real centre of attention is her heavenly Father who has given her so much good in her life. My prayer is likewise that her mother and father will also grow in being examples of that life of gratitude in the light of God’s grace, so that she will have an idea where to go as her own spiritual journey develops.

For His Name’s Sake

Shalom

dmcd

Seekers September - Summary

So here we are at the end of the month. IT has been quite a month. I’ve experienced so much over the month that it’s not possible to remember everything that has happened. During the month I’ve only been at Stoke church for one Sabbath where other Sabbaths have seen me in Newport, home and Warslow. In this month I experienced my first stag do (as a participant, not the stag in question) and the honour of being a part of the crew of ushers at the wedding. I went to Scotland for the first time in my life. This was the month I started the teacher training course a significant step for me in fulfilling the call of God in my life.

I’ve had some wonderful times over the month and blog wise I’ve also been able to get out a fair number of entries out and been able to explore a bit the concept of seeking. Following Audio August, Seeking September really has got me stripping away everything to know what I desire more than anything else. For the next three months we as a church will be looking at the Sermon of the Mount which has at the heart of it a desire to seek the Kingdom of Heaven, see that kingdom manifest on earth, see it’s values and principles embedded not just in our minds or behaviours, but the core of our very being. It’s all about being centred on Christ, looking for him in everything and looking to be like Him in any given situation. So that requires Kingdom allegiance!

At a cell group session this evening we were looking at Job 42 and reviewing Job’s response to God’s responses to his calling out the Almighty to answer some questions. What I found fascinating about the scripture was not so much the recovery of Job’s loss. Not so much Job’s so called friends having to get Job to get them out of God’s wrath. These are all commendable parts of the story worth capturing in themselves. What was especially intriguing in terms of linking seeking to the sermon is the very first main point of the sermon.

Those who inherit the kingdom are those who acknowledge their absolute abject poverty before God, not in the material sense but in that sense that puts complete dependence on the creator of the universe. Job accepts that he cannot interrogate the Creator as if He has an obligation to answer our questions or He won’t get re-elected in the general election next year. Job’s act of repentance brings things back to the beginning where we are nothing but dirt and all we have we owe to His mercy. That’s why I seek Him because true riches are found in Him, not just material but the real riches of godly characteristics re-engaging us with the one who defines us and makes us whole.

That’s also part of the motive of the theme for the next month, but more on that in the morrow should the Lord spare our lives. In the meantime, thank God for the material blessings and great experiences, a loving family, brilliant church family and an amazing cast of friends and assorted extras that make my life what it is. Above and beyond all that thanks for Jesus Christ who allows me to enjoy these things in Him and to the Father who made me and continues to shape me in a pattern of His pleasing through good times and bad by His Spirit that lives in me. Thanks so much.

For His Name's Sake

Shalom

dmcd

Thanks Father For My Dad

You may have noticed yesterday that the entry mentioned my mother. I may have mentioned before, family is very important to me, especially the immediate family in which I was brought up. I was brought up in an isolated background so my siblings and parents meant a great deal to me. Mum and Dad recently celebrated 34 years since their wedding. It is quite a feat to make it to that number and now with their three children all producing grandchildren for them it is such a significant time to rejoice in their marital union.

More significant still, however, is yesterday was my dad celebrate his 76^th year on the planet. I don’t blog that much about my dad. I’ll blog about my mum and my brother in particular, but not really about my sister and rarer still about my dad. This is not deliberate; it’s just the way the thoughts and notes have come about.

The measure of manhood for me was started off by my dad. For the changes that have taken place in my life and the various male figures who have been role models it all starts and ends with my dad. He was no big shot. Never really headed for the front or taking the limelight, my dad is the epitome of understated. It is easy to overlook the contribution that my dad would make to anything, but his absence would definitely be noticed. He never needed to say much at all and so when he did speak more often than not it was always worth paying careful attention.

Up until my married life my dad remained something of a mystery in terms of who he was. He was not one to reveal himself and get all autobiographical. He was not into physical displays of affection, but his presence and unstinting loyalty meant more than anything. It really appeared as if nothing would phase him. That didn’t mean he was averse to quirks. The most endearing quality are the little oddities that will incur his wrath – wearing shoes in the house when we had slippers for example.

So as my dad goes from strength to strength enjoying the fruit of his labours back at his home in Jamaica I have to give God thanks for the life of my dad.

Thanks Father for my dad’s consistency – the unwavering way in which he persisted in his home responsibilities without complaint.

Thanks Father for my dad’s patience – refusing to allow situations to stress him out and looking to keep a calm composure in every situation. Indeed thanks that dad was the guy that kept his head while others were losing theirs.

Thanks Father for my dad’s sense of perspective – whether in success or failure he knew in Whom he believed and that there was nothing more important than realising that everything was in Your hands.

Thanks Father for my dad’s sense of justice – regardless of whatever anyone thought, thanks that he looked to act fairly in all his dealings and his integrity would not be questioned by anyone.

Thanks Father for my dad’s sense of humour – living up to his surname always with a wry sense of humour fit for the occasion and easy on the laughing.

Thanks Father for my dad’s persistence – despite not being academically inclined his dedication to learning to develop reading every night would significantly impact his children.

Thanks Father for my dad’s simplicity – as others chase the futility of material gain my dad showed the real value of those things of an eternal nature – Christ-like humility and following Him always.

Thanks Father for my dad’s worshipful vulnerability – whenever he was abandoned to Your presence in praise and adoration he and you would share in ways that we may not have seen in him otherwise.

Thanks Father for my dad – his good bits, his bad bits, the way he has garnered so much appreciation from those who know and love him. Thanks that his legacy is seen in the positive qualities of his children and those that whom he would befriend.

I used to say that if I was half the man that my dad was then I’d be doing well, but I’ve grown to appreciate that my dad has done what he could in his life to put down the markers for his children to go further than he has gone. I don’t know if I’ll ever make it, but I do know that the faith of my father in the Father rests in me and I will like him endeavour to do all that God calls me to do. Hopefully one day dad and I will share all our life’s pursuit in eternal praise of the Father who makes it possible. In the meantime this is a small token of the great appreciation, love and affection I have for my dad and our Father in heaven who has made this relationship what it is.

For His Name's Sake

Shalom

dmcd

Food, Focus, Football and Changes

Quite a lot to put out tonight and it’s a job to keep it all in perspective, but I’ll give it me best shot.

First of all there is a saying that in terms of the meals of the day that it’s best to have breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper. I’ve never really lived by that ethic at all always looking forward to dinner like a king, lunch like a prince and breakfast like the pauper’s apprentice. Still, today I enjoyed the benefits of such a lifestyle.

Not sure if I’ve told you, but my dearly beloved mother is currently with us here in Stoke-on-Trent. That means she cooks. Authrine has no problem with that at all and doesn’t see it as a slight to her cooking. In fact I get the impression she sees it as a weight off her domestic responsibilities. In any case the mother cooks and of late she has been feeding me as if I needed to be bolstered with the goodness that comes with heaps of food. Seriously two full plates of food are not unusual for meals whilst the rest of the family muddle through their single plate. She loves me, I guess. I’m not complaining.

This has a bearing, though, for Sunday breakfasts because such is the filling nature of those breakfasts that I seriously don’t have to think about eating again for the rest of the day. That was definitely the case yesterday when another one of her beauties had me almost out for the count for the rest of the day. It was bad enough that I had a real long relaxing soak in a bath, to come out of that into the kind of breakfast that I received; I was seriously of no use to anyone until I had a two hour nap!

Anyway, because of that I seriously didn’t need anything to eat for the rest of the day and we came back home from the party rather late as I may have mentioned. So this morning now, Mum wants to make the most of the food that’s been coming in so sets up a breakfast for me. Well you shouldn’t need me to tell you how big that breakfast was. And as a result again I did not require another meal for the rest of the day.

I got some chips from a chip shop and it was meant to be a large portion but it was fairly pathetically small in content for a large portion, but even that didn’t bother me as the morning’s shipment would see me through with that minimal top up.

Moral of the story – if you’re filled up properly in the day it should last you for the rest of the day. That’s not just about the importance of breakfast – that’s about the importance of feasting full of the Spirit to be able to motor through the day because you’ve been filled.

Also as a sub-plot moral – it’s good to have a generous, loving mother on your side and an equally kind and loving wife only too willing to allow the mother to get on with what she does best so that her son can keep on trucking through the day.

Believe or not, that’s not the main reason for blogging this evening.

I had the privilege of watching Liverpool vs. Aston Villa at my mate Matt’s house this evening. Last season we watched the equivalent fixture in a pub in Shelton (a district of Stoke-on-Trent for those who live outside the centre of the known universe). In that match Villa was soundly thrashed 5-0 by Liverpool.

On this occasion Villa deservedly walked away from Anfield with the three points for the first time in about eight years. They won 3-1 and it was no less than their performance merited.

Now you may recall that I’ve resolved to look at my approach to football in the light of looking to honour God in that pursuit, so it’s not about being emotionally distraught at the result of a football match or getting over analytical on what that means for events still to be decided over the next nine months. What it does provide is good entertainment for watching the match with a friend.

Young Matt, you see, is a Villa fan and although he’s relatively young in the Lord, he’s not young in the Villa and as an engrained fan it too everything in him not to gloat at the victory. Although that did not stop him celebrating at the key turning points in the match. It was amusing watching him endeavour to compose himself as we related further just to see if I was still alright and needed anything … like tissues. All good quality fun and a privilege as I said to just watch it with the brother at his crib.

I could go into analysis about why Liverpool lost the match, but there’s a principle in it that has bearings for far more significant issues. I link that, however, to the reading that I was doing as I walked from Matt’s house back to my own. As you may know I love reading and I especially enjoy reading whilst walking if I can manage to do that on a long journey from one place to another. Doing so increases the reading time – which is a good thing, and also drastically cuts down on any transport costs that may have been incurred had I sought a taxi or public transport.

So as I stated in a previous blog I’m reading McKinstry’s bio on Sir Alf Ramsey and it has reached the point where Ramsey has taken a small provincial club like Ipswich and got them promoted up through the Third to the Second to the First Division and now in their first season in the top flight they win the League Championship itself to the surprise of all the pundits. Such a remarkable achievement eventually gets him recognition from the FA who approaches him to become the next England manager back in 1962.

One of the provisos of accepting the post is that he completes the 1962/63 season with Ipswich. It is during that season that the Champions suffer dramatically and the principle to which I’m referring emerges. A critique of Ramsey is that he remains too loyal to the players and the system that won him the Championship. By now other clubs have sussed it out and are taking points off the team. The decline sets in so that the season after he leaves the club gets relegated.

So what is the principle in question? It is this – what gets you somewhere is not necessarily what will keep you somewhere. Different methods are required at different stages to maintain growth otherwise stagnancy sets in and worse still rather than progressing we regress.

McKinstry points out that Ramsey’s loyalty to players and systems would also be at the heart of his downfall as England manager. The link to the Liverpool match is that although Rafa adjusted tactics, he was slow to change them sufficiently sticking to a system that no longer met the need of the time. Such loyalty to such a system when you don’t really have the personnel for it can lead to results like the one tonight.

Likewise every day’s challenges have a specific tactic that will ensure success in that day. That particular tactic, however, is not applicable to the following day, or even the day after that. The overall objective remains – to grow – but the method in which that is done must be relevant to the circumstances.

We have to be sensitive to divine instructions to allow us to know how to approach every day, not by relying on yesterday’s methods alone, but seeing what wisdom there is for today through God’s Word. Otherwise we run the danger of not progressing, but stagnating and regressing.

Its application in my life is that I’m clear that I’m all about glorifying God in body with all I have in me. To do that, I need to focus on the author and finisher of my faith – Jesus Christ. In order to do that, however, I need to be filled by, led by and able to walk in the Spirit that rose JC from the grave. Getting all of that done is to be on the look-out for the daily bread God provides me every day in my YMCA work, in my family life, in my church interactions, in the books I read, football matches I watch, conversations I have, food I eat – especially at breakfast, etc.

Being responsive in this fashion allows me to know when my season is to bring forth fruit and then work in line with the season that I’m in.

Just wanted to share that with you.

For His Name's Sake

Shalom

dmcd

And The Rest …

This week through many different encounters and experiences I’ve been reminded about how essential and difficult it is to follow Jesus and Jesus only. There are so many competing issues and factors that can demand so much of us. Some of them normal and understandable factors, others less so, but the similarity between them is that they often compete to take dominance in our lives to the cost of the Lordship of Christ. Realising that we are hid in Christ and when the Father considers us, He considers His Son has a dramatic effect on issues of identity.

My name is Dryden because my dad is Dryden. Many personal characteristics have been inherited from him and concepts of manhood have been heavily influenced by his manhood. I am my dad’s son and carry that with me wherever I go whether conscious of it or not. I am not a facsimile of my dad, but there can be no denying to whom I belong. Once I am reconciled to the heavenly Father my identity is like that of His Son’s – I am His and He is mine. I can refer to Him as Dad on the understanding that I have personal contact with Him as His son. His characteristics slowly become my own (sometimes too slowly, perhaps), His issues slowly become my own and I find my priorities being done in a manner to be pleasing to Him as my Dad.

Previously before connections with the heavenly Dad I was often conflicted on issues of identity. To be fair even after being hooked up again with God as Father I was still not getting who I am and what it meant to be a child of His. In the confusion I fell into pressure – pressure to live up to people’s expectations of me. What was I meant to do and be as a Christian? What does that look like? Whenever those questions are asked formality is easy to fall into – being a Christian is doing this, wearing this, saying this, acting like this. All nice instructions, but without Spirit and intent it can be lifeless forms of godliness with no power behind it. Worse still it can also lead to judgementality based on that image of Christianity.

In actuality the freedom that the Spirit offers is not one of conforming to such rigid formality, but being transformed by the renewing of the mind to actually fit God’s will for how I’m to be shaped by His Word. That’s why His Son was so controversial, because He never came to reinforce the common concepts of formal worship; rather He came to liberate people to engage with the Father in Spirit and truth. That makes the whole identity issue something that is not so rigid, formal and oppressing. It doesn’t relieve you of personal issues and challenges but all of a sudden where there were pressures and conflicts God genuinely offers peace.

I cannot tell you what a joy it is to approach Sabbath every week (although it’s not the first time I’ve spoken of it and it’s worth having a blast from the past with reading what I said all those years ago). I so long to enjoy the rest offered in it as a window of opportunity to embrace what Jesus invited me to when He called me to follow Him. I love the thought of bathing in my identity not being based on what I do, but what He has done and the promise to be fulfilled in the time to come when this corruptible will put on incorruptible.

Hebrews in establishing the supremacy of Christ above all things past, present and future, especially under pressure to conform to the status quo, highlights the hope we look forward to in the rest. I so love Jesus for reinforcing a time to rest in who He is and to do that in community with other brothers and sisters who share such a hope and joy. I so love Jesus for giving us a time to enjoy that rest in Him through the cessation of everyday work and just reflecting that in our engagement with our community and God’s creation. To me observing the Sabbath is not about legalism, but about liberation and I’m just grateful for it.

For His Name's Sake

Shalom

dmcd

Balamory, Suzie Sweet, Keith Floyd and our Heavenly Father

Some things happen in life to assure me that God speaks and that Jesus is coming soon. This morning was a time for one of those things.

I am becoming more and more convinced that children’s television is a device used to infiltrate the minds of the impressionable and sow things into them of a subversive nature. Sometimes the subversion is good, sometimes the subversion is just weird. Take, for example Balamory. If I haven’t informed you before this programme has the temerity to be pitched to my two and four year old daughters and yet have elements in them that would only make sense to someone far older. They have some songs attached so some characters that mark them out clearly for a notable aspect of who they are and what they can do – whether it’s Josie Jump’s athleticism or PC Plum’s dogged determination to find the clues to solve the case in serving his community.

This morning, however, for the first time I came across Susie Sweet’s particular niche - she is as a cook. Nothing wrong with that you may think, but then all of a sudden on my television screen I get this 50-plus year old woman coming across with some hip-hop hybrid of a track explaining how she’s good at cooking and not only that but there’s a significant cameo appearance from Keith Floyd cook extraordinaire who is most frequently associated to his indulgence in wine. (A good time to be reminded of Proverbs 20:1 in word and music, eh?) Just see it for yourself! Well check all of the subliminal and subversive messages being relayed to my daughters there! Thankfully they had already been shipped out to their educational locations for the day, so it was just me watching aghast in bafflement and bemusement.

It was so bizarre. I mean the one that they do for PC Plum is such a spot on spoof of Bohemian Rhapsody it’s untrue and that already got me thinking that they really are pushing the boat out on these children’s programmes to get some things in their head. If you don’t believe me, you check Deborah (the four year-old) out on a good day and the ability to nail on mimic the songs she sees on the television is unerring. And if that’s the songs, you can consider the messages that are already being relayed. There is a reason why I can still remember the theme tune to Button Moon you know!

Thankfully my heavenly Father did not just want me to spot the subversive tendencies of an abnormally cohesive multi-cultural island located presumably in Scotland. Spencer is the (token) black American guy who’s an artist/musician and all that and on today’s episode it wasn’t a day when the people were at school and work, but one of those play days that sees Miss Hoolie do a musical number with top hat and tails and the works. So as part of the fun day away, Spencer was supposed to be organising things and he didn’t. Thankfully Edith was able to sort out the transport side of things and Susie – for it is she – was able to sort out the … yes you’ve guessed it, the cooking side of things (sans alcoholic beverages supplied by contacts of Mr. K. Floyd … well none that were shown anyway, I’m sure afterwards the crew perhaps needed to get plastered to recover from such a weird episode).

So in all of that, the lesson learnt again was the importance of being organised and in doing so recognising that it takes the best of others to ensure things get organised. We cannot do it alone, getting the job done takes a team and ensuring you can depend on them to help out at any occasion. In my case, for example, I am blessed with a supportive family and relational network that means when I’m feeling low and run down with a heavy cold working its way off my chest through vigorous coughing and the bringing up of phlegm (you’re welcome), there are a loving group of people taking it easy with me and likewise prayerfully supporting through this time with words of assurance and healing. Plus as today’s LJN highlights there are other lessons to be learnt in the experience. There you go, clear proof that a loving heavenly Father who yearns to save us all and lift us from the fall communicates these intentions even through Balamory.

For His Name's Sake
Shalom
dmcd

That's Just Stupid

The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good. The LORD looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one. (Psalm 14:1-3 ESV)

GOD sticks his head out of heaven. He looks around. He's looking for someone not stupid-- one man, even, God-expectant, just one God-ready woman. He comes up empty. A string of zeros. (Psalm 14:2, 3a MSG)

This evening the word ‘stupid’ has cropped up frequently in my thoughts and some of my conversations with others. Obviously I am not the target of such an accusation in these conversations or thoughts, but the prevalence with which the word appears suggests that stupidity has been the name of the game tonight.

Now stupid is a word that our daughters are not allowed to use with each other or in any given situation. As is often the case with the parental prerogative though, despite not being able to say it themselves, we can justifiably use it as sparingly as we do. Thank God for parental privileges, eh! Don’t worry, either. Despite being bereft of that word both Deborah and Abigail have taken on with great gusto the use of the ‘disgusting’. Such is the mixture of disdain and relish with which both use the word that I’m not altogether sure whether I was saving myself the hassle with the ban on the word stupid.

In any case as I journeyed through the stupid phase I got to the point where I discovered something that really did epitomise stupidity. For all of my best endeavours to support people out of stupid decisions, thoughts and acts, it would be really be stupid of me to a) get hung up on the person choosing to stay in the stupidity and b) take drastic action to remove the choice from the individual so that they were kinda forced to go along with my radical rescue package that of course would help everyone out.

Reference is often made to the so-called Prodigal Son and how he came to his senses and made the decision himself to return home to get some grub. I’d argue that circumstances forced him to that decision, and more importantly, it was not anything as such that the son did that restored his fortunes but the gracious loving act of a compassionate father to reinstate the dead, lost son to his place in the family. The point is that for all my informed opinions about people and their decisions, the stupid person lives without God which is all of us, but for the grace of God and so it is only because of Him that I enjoy whatever good things I have in life.

All of that to say that what keeps me from beating the bush about the stupid things other do is being reminded of the stupid things I have done and the arms of the waiting father rushing to greet me and Himself set me up straight with the robe and the ring. I have seen the loving Father do that to so many other people and it is as ever for me to look to Him and trust Him to do what’s best in all things and ask for mercy that will allow me to avoid making some of the stupid decisions that I have made in this short time I have had knocking about this glorious dust-bowl we call earth.

God have mercy on our stupid souls.

And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his servants, 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to celebrate. (Luke 15:20-24 ESV)

For His Name's Sake
Shalom
dmcd

Catching Up With All Those Thoughts

So you would have thought with having a two week break that I could make some time to catch up on some more regular blogging and letting you people genuinely know what is up with the gentleman whose initials are third and fourth in the alphabet. Oh but no, there’s always something that crops up as a reason why I can’t blog. So the reason why I haven’t been regularly blogging is because for about a month or so up to last Friday I really had no net connection as the router went all funny. So that was a pain in the neck. Now your argument is I could have blogged from work – done it before, probably do it again no problems right? Wrong. It’s not that straightforward – of late the domicile bliss of being in the room that I share with the wife sans wife and being able to just chill with the laptop on my … lap (that really is ingenious) multi-tasking as ever and just reeling the thoughts that come to me or having the chance to share that which has come to me. On the multi-tasking front for example I am listening and watching a random mix of tunes from my Xsecular file and at this minute it’s Seven Days by Sting. As well as that there are 10 net windows open with various links that I’ll get round to noting and the ever helpful Google Reader from which I’ll glean what nuggets to make a note of. There’s some catching up to do – to the region of 491 entries to wade through – but that’s the beauty of having this time doing something I enjoy. As well as those there is also the Word document on which I put down whatever notes I’ve made during the day. Of late these have been rather filled as I’ve had the chance to put down the copious web links and some notes that have been cropping up as well. The beautiful thing about the notes is that I’ll start on a stream of thought or a correspondence I want to do and I’ll stop it halfway through a sentence and leave it there for days at a time as I pursue something else and complete that as well. It’s good fun, really.

Anyway, so the wife finally sorted out the net business and got me back online from home on Friday and after giving God thanks and praise and extending a rather perky peck on the cheek for the wife finally completing her deed I’ve sought to make up for lost time. So here are some of the notes I’ve been making with links and the such like that has been rolling in the mind of the da man cd in the interim period from the last entry til now.

From 15-07-08

· The bigger picture goes to the question do Christians need to monitor their intake on television, radio, internet, etc.? I’m reminded of the proverb to guard the heart with all diligence as out of it flow the issues of life. Earlier on today, I was only too aware of how vulnerable I am to attack in going back to some stuff that I haven’t touched in months. I was only too conscious of the fact that I could take little bits and bobs to satisfy the flesh whilst building a desire for it again. In the intervening months I’ve had such a good time loving Christ and desiring to be sold out for Him, that I’m too aware of how precious that is to me and how dependent I am on Christ to maintain that, even in the light of the challenging marital circumstances. I want to be so awash with godly stuff that when the buzzers go off in me head then I’m able to take the hints and follow the Saviour into the proper thing.

· I am convinced by David Tennant’s portrayal of the Doctor – he does a good job and I’ve never seen him do a cropper. While thanks may go to writers and directors, et. al. the brother still has to come through with the performances and this he does to a really good degree.

From 17-07-08

· John Piper has not joined a gang – brilliant stuff!

· I look at the word source. I refer to it in my understanding of the role of a man. Back to the whole bit about us being here to look after the garden ensuring that the fruit it is to be producing comes through and enjoying what is produced. I then link it with the concept of fatherhood and look at the word and its meaning. When I look at how the dad is the source of the family from which everyone gets their name and identity I then connect to how we know we’re God’s children because our behaviour suggests we’re linked to the source. It makes me chuckle thinking that the Dryden Family is a production of Chris Dryden. If Authrine is unfruitful, if Abigail is rebellious, if Deborah is unruly then we can turn and look at the production values and who the producer was. Likewise the Executive Producer expects the production team to run on values in line with that which was set out at the beginning.

From 18-07-08

· God is Roman Abrahamovic and we are managers of Chelsea – he is the owner, we are the managers. He has brought us to look after his club and ensure that it fulfils its promise of winning trophies and producing good football. It’s his club but we manage it and have the resources at our disposal to put together the team that produces the necessary output to meet the overall targets.

From 19-07-08

· Recalling something I heard from the Josh Harris sermon as part of NA2008, I am intrigued at the whole concept of reformation to see that there’s something about taking God’s Word seriously and also there’s something in the inevitability of God fulfilling what His Word says. In the same way as a believer we live in the light of knowing God and seeking by His Spirit to have a spiritual reformation that will get rid of everything unpleasant to God.

From 24-07-08

· This is why I love spending time searching the web and getting involved in such stuff as to get my mind engaged in spiritual stuff that has implications on my social and cultural engagement. For example after touching on the subject of race and manhood over the weekend, here’s a fascinating blog entry on racism, the gospel and politics. This in itself refers to another fascinating blog entry on voting for Obama. In the light of the article you’d get the impression there’s implicit value in taking part in the political process of voting, but I’ve not had the argument made clear to me beyond reasonable doubt and yet the more we consider things, the more implicit is that the issue is worth defending on gospel grounds.

· Right or wrong I’ve tended to associate Pyromaniacs with articles against something usually someone on the emerging side or maybe a prosperity gospel proponent. So it was refreshing and illuminating to have that stereotype shattered by this article on my kinda subject – discipleship.

· Combining two themes – politics and Pyromaniacs, here’s something they have to say about what the church can say to government. That has implications for the church’s missional portfolio and what we say in our communities.

· I wonder why the cinema industry persists in spacing opening dates for their films when the technology is there to allow us to know what is in a film even before it’s released in its first country. Why not just release it everywhere at the same time?

From 26-07-08

· So getting back to basics with the family is a challenge anyway. To make it even more challenging here’s some advice on saving the family from being distracted to death.

From 27-07-08

· Moving metaphors – good stuff to remind me of who God is.

From 28-07-08

· Good critique on the Jesus invitation and deeper reflection on where He is

· As I explore the gospel further articles like this by Tim Keller are highly instructive

· As an example of how useful Google Reader has been, I never gave much notice to the Gospel Driven Church, but this article on what their church is all about and how it does what it does was a fascinating insight into how church is done. As well as that the motivating driver for the pastor of the church and writer of the blog resonates deeply with my own desire in my context. Here’s where his church is at as well.

From 29-07-08

· I wonder how many churches would take this position and pay the cost of faithfulness to God?

· This is a good entry that has good practical implications on how I can do life better if I learn to anticipate things, ask the right questions and work towards the right answers to those questions.

· I love posts like this that remind us of the real reason for meeting and what should result from it.

· This is a powerful article on the differences and similarities in what is faced in the United States of America and the Union of South Africa. It makes me consider what would be the key issues to address for the church and community context in which I live.

· I was reading a comment about why churches won’t become multi-cultural and the point was that it’s not about classism or racism but it’s because there is a mutual understanding that different cultures worship in different ways. That is a very dangerous comment to make. The deal of multi-cultural church is not to withstand the forces of prejudice and discrimination, it is to show the world how the gospel does cultural blending and brings a body of people committed to the sovereignty of God as expressed in a Kingdom culture that supersedes all other culture and sub-culture. This does not negate the value of the cultures in which we live, but it does say wherever cultural norms and values clash with kingdom values – and every non-kingdom culture by definition has elements that clash with kingdom culture – then these most bow down, submit and be removed in favour of kingdom culture. One blatantly apparent way in which various cultural norms contradict kingdom culture is in this separatist perspective on communal worship that says because I’m not comfortable worshipping in your cultural way I’ll leave you to it and I’ll do my thing over here and perhaps we can meet up every now and then. That doesn’t promote body-building at all. How can true gospel community arise in these circumstances? How can I ever benefit from the gifts you have to offer if the structure never affords me to spend quality time with you in that context? There again is the tricky issue of working out gospel community and kingdom culture in the light of the various pressures to conform and withdraw from each other for ‘perfectly reasonable’ premises which threaten the very real unity of the body.

From today

So if you thought this was a long post you need to understand that these are just selections from the stuff I’ve been noting over the two weeks. Just goes to prove how good it would be to get into a funk and rhythm of blogging so it doesn’t all pile up and then I have one of these heavy download sessions. Let’s hope and I’ll act on the hope that the change will come for everyone’s good!

Something I’m hoping to blog on soon and preferably before the end of the week is my take on The Dark Knight. Now if you’ve seen me Facebook profile then you’ll already know what some of my initial feedback was on it, but its worth a blog in itself so look out for that. As well as that whilst in holiday mode and hoping to escape tomorrow and Friday to catch up on some other stuff there should be more blog activity on this blog and the others that are up and running including the debut entry for the Daily Thoughts blog.

That should do for you for now. In the meantime have yourself a good ol’ time wherever you are and know that no matter how bad things may appear the bigger reality is not that things could be worse but that things are going to get better for it’s not a issue of cup half full or half empty, but followers of The Man will know it’s about having cups overflowing and with goodness and mercy pursuing us.

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Shalom
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