The Generocity of Strangers (and Friends!)

I wanted to tell you about the generocity I’ve experienced over the past couple of days, to remind us all that people ARE awesome!

At short notice, a friend let me stay the night at thier house, despite the fact that they didn’t have a lot of room. This friend then drove me to a wedding the next day that we were both going to. I wasn’t invited to the reception of this wedding, but a family I had just been introduced too at the wedding let me stay at thier house for the afternoon, and then drove me to the barn dance in the evening. Lastly, a couple I met at the barn dance drove me to the station and then helped me get another train when I missed the one I had planned to get on.

So, there we have it. Despite what we see on the news, people ARE awesome!

Trust, Inevitably, Comes Before Understanding

Here’s what I’ve been learning recently:

Trust, Inevitably, Comes Before Understanding.

Life is full of uncertainties and there are truths that don’t make sense. We’re humans, the world, the galaxy, the universe, is far bigger than us. We try to understand everything, make the whole of Creation fit into our boxes, we try to steer our lives in the direction we want them to go; don’t we realise we’re not in control? 

We can’t understand everything; our boxes are far too small. Have we forgotten that we are created too? Does an ant try to grasp what we do, does it wrestle with what we are about?

Yes, we have minds to use, and curiosity is definitely not a sin. These things were given to us, but we shouldn’t let our feet get too big for our boots. We are still human. We have to remember that we are children, children with a Father who loves us and wants us to know Him.

So, don’t be afraid to think, to question, to dream, but also don’t be afraid to stop trying to put things in boxes. Don’t be afraid to loose yourself in wide eyed wonder at the world around you, trust that you are held in the arms of the One who loves you and who is able to do more than you could ever imagine.

Rake-A-Thon

I wonder what the world record is for the longest time that anyone has raked for; I did eight hours of it today, so I think I must be pretty close!

The reason I completed a rake-a-thon is because I’ve been working as a gardener over the summer. Now, raking isn’t exactly the most mentally stimulating of experiences, but was it rewarding? Heck yeah!

‘How can this be?’ I hear you cry. You are right to cry, for surely raking for eight hours will rot your brain away and leave your muscles as heavy as lead? Well, yes, it does do  those things, but here’s how it refreshes the soul…

The human race is actually rather intelligent, so intelligent in fact that we have invented a machine for nearly every problem we face. We have cars, planes and trains that can transport us around the world in a few hours; the internet allows us to have whole supermarkets and libraries of information at our finger-tips; and e-mail, texting, social networking sites, and even the good old fashioned telephone, mean that we are almost constantly connected with each other. Modern technology has it’s good and bad traits, but as far as I know, no-one’s invented a ‘Rake-o-matic’ (if such a thing exists, why didn’t anyone tell me this morning!). To the best of my knowledge, raking still has to be done by hand.

And that’s where the reward comes in. As God, aka, Morgan Freeman, in ‘Bruce Almighty’ puts it ‘Some of the happiest people in the world, go home smelling to high heaven at the end of the day’. Manual labour gives us something that machines can’t, it makes us feel good about ourselves. After eight hours of raking, I was able to look back down the drive that I was working on and I could see the difference I had made, and as I was leaving to go home, I felt like it had been a day well spent.

 

Dancing to Freedom

Firstly, let me apologise for not posting anything for AGES!!!!

Secondly, let me tell you about one of my most embarrassing moments, turned into one of my proudest.

So, it all started when I volunteered to be a steward at a big youth event run by SWYM (the people I’m training with). One of my fellow trainees was taking some of her young people to this event and needed a male leader. Being the generous guy that I am (and because I was going anyway and needed a lift there), I said I could be the male leader, when I wasn’t busy with important stewarding business.

Now, at this youth event there is a nightmarish, horribly-terrorfying, enough-to-make-you-wet-yourself-out-of-fear part of the programme called ‘Leader’s Got Talent’. You’ve probably guessed what it is, a talent show for youth leaders. The reason most youth leaders faint at those three words is because it’s the young people who deciede what their leader is going to do…and normally the leader doesn’t even know they’ve been signed up until their name gets called out and they have to stand on the stage in front of the WHOLE crowd!

So, I’m standing there, chatting to these two boys that I’m supposed be the male leader of, and one of them says ‘You’re down to do that’, pointing at the sign up sheet for ‘Leader’s Got Talent’. I laugh thinking he was joking. Then, he goes ‘I’m not joking, we went and put your name down, go and have a look.’ Not daring to breathe, I walk over to the sign-up sheet. I couldn’t believe my eyes. DANCING?! They’d put me down for dancing!!! God’s given me many skills, but when thing I am NOT good at is dancing!

A mixture of alarm and annoyance that they’d done this to me, when I had only know them for a few hours, swirled round my stomach. I tried reasoning with them, well, almost begged that they’d take my name off (because apparently ‘You can’t just scribble your name out’). Eventually, we struck a deal, I’d dance while the other trainee we were with (aka their actual youth worker!) sang. Breathing a sigh of relief, knowing that I wouldn’t be making a fool of myself all alone up on that stage, I returned to my very important stewarding duties.

The rest of the afternoon came and went quite pleasantly, and I had almost completely forgotten that I was supposed to be strutting my stuff in front of hundreds of teenagers. That was of course, until the dreaded call came.

I was at the door of the venue, doing very significant stewardy things, and didn’t hear my name called out at first; people had to come and get me. As I was walking to the stage, I kept waiting for the other trainee’s name to be called out, the one who was going to sing. Their call never came. I was now standing on the stage, all alone, feeling like the wind had been knocked out of me. The host for the evening asked me if I knew what I was going to be doing. ‘Dancing’ I said, in a monotone, as I looked out into the crowd like a rabbit into head-lights.

Before I knew it, some music was playing. I realised that I could either crash and burn, or just go with the flow and get the most out of it. The next couple of minutes passed in a blur, as I made my body do random movements out of time with the music. Eventually, the music ended and I was allowed to run away (like in Neopalion Dynamite!).

I spent the rest of the evening trying to figure who had stitched me up. As the night was drawing to a close, the winner of ‘Let’s Torture a Leader’ was announced…it was me!

I had to be collected as again, as I had resumed my post by the door and didn’t hear the call. I was lost for words…and I was really proud of myself. I hated every minute I was on that stage dancing, but in the end it worked out.

This whole experience reminded me of Romans 8:28 ‘In all things, God works for the good of those who love Him…’ So, even when everything is going wrong, and you can’t even see two feet in front of you, let alone the light at the end of the tunnel, know that God is using what you’re going through to bring about something extraordinary for you!

An Autumn Adventure

I love the autumn. It’s my favourite time of year, what with the crispness of the air, the colours, the anticipation of winter and Christmas, it’s a season of change, and, of course, the leaves that you get to kick up!

This is the view from my living room.

In the distance there are hills (they’re actually closer than they look!). Ever since I moved here, I’ve always wanted to go up one of those hills. A few days ago, I had a free afternoon, so I thought I would finally do just that.

I headed out into the autumn with nothing but a camera. I had no idea what town the hills were in and I didn’t know how to get to them, so I set on my bike and headed in their general direction.

After getting a little lost in a housing estate, I eventually found a footpath that led up, what I hoped, was one of the hills.

I started up it and instantly began to doubt whether I should continue. Mud was everywhere! One of the downsides of autumn. The foot of the hill was one huge boggy mess and I was only wearing canvas shoes. However, I thought ‘I’ve come this far, I’m not turning back now’. So I tried to find a way through the quagmire.

I did finally get onto reasonably dry ground, but I had to take a ridiculous route. I scrambled through a thicket of bracken, had to jump over a small swamp and tread across bog like it was a mine field, looking for solid ground to step on. Unfortunatly, I didn’t make it unscaved. My shoes suffered badly. I couldn’t really tell if it was mud or cow poo covering my feet.

So I was pretty fed up, and I still wasn’t as high as I wanted to be. I looked around and I tried to go across the fields to climb a higher hill that was near by. I had to navigate several more bogs and cow pats, and finally came to the edge of the field that led up to my hill, the one I wanted to climb. Only, my way was blocked by another bog, and I could see no way around this one.

I was SO annoyed. After all I’d gone through, I’d gotten so close but couldn’t actually climb this stupid hill! With darkness closing in, I decided to turn back.

But I was still determined to climb at least one hill. So I climbed the one I was at the base of, even if it was smaller. I actually ran up it out of my frustration. I got to the summit and turned around. I was left speechless by what I saw.

I was reminded of how we can have a plan in our heads, but God always has a better way for us.

It turned out to be a great and an unexpected Autumn Adventure.

Here are some more photos from my exploits.

He Doesn’t Do Things By Half

In 1 Kings 3:9 Solomon refers to Israel as God’s ‘great nation’ (Contemporary English Version).

God made a ‘great nation’ out of Israel. He doesn’t do things by half. He gives us His all, His best.

However, He gives, but He also takes away. Israel were fickle and often rejected God, resulting in this ‘great nation’ being invaded and exiled. The city of Jerusalem, the capital, David’s City, was completely destroyed. God doesn’t do things by half.

Yet, God also restores. The Jews returned to Israel. The walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt, because the Israelites trusted God again. God promises that, no matter how far away we go, we can always go back to Him. He waits for us, and when He hears us cry out, He runs down the road to meet us, even though we’re still a long way off.

God made a universe and saw that it was ‘very good’. He doesn’t do things by half. We, as the human race, rejected God, and so we were exiled from His presence. Yet, Jesus came. He loved us too much to let us go. The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross meant that we could enter into a life with God once more. God restored us by giving us the thing He loves the most, His Son. God doesn’t do things by half.

Today, when God chooses to heal, He heals FULLY. When God forgives us, we are COMPLETELY forgiven. When He restores us, we are made COMPLETELY new. We have His FULL attention.

He doesn’t do things by half.

Supernatural- Flyleaf (Awesome Lyrics!)

Video

Her headache’s constant
Increasing in pain with
each passing day
She can’t even manage to stand on her own
It’s gotten so bad

Now you think of saying
There’s no use in praying
Still she bows her head so she can say,
“Thank you for just one more day.”

Supernatural patience
Graces her face
And her voice never raises

All because of a love
Never let go of
Never let go of

He has every reason to throw up his fists
In the face of his God who let his mother die
Through all the prayer and tears
She still passed in pain anyway

Now you think of saying
There’s no use in praying
Still he bows his head so he can say,
“Thank you for ending her pain.”

Supernatural patience
Graces his face
And his voice never raises
It’s all because of a love
Never let go of
Never let go of

He is teaching me
What love really means

Supernatural patience
Graces his face
And his voice never raises
It’s all because of a love
Never let go of

Yes it’s supernatural patience
Graces his face
And his voice never raises
All because of a love
Never let go of
Never let go of

He is teaching me
What love really means

All Things Bright and Beautiful

Aside

Yesturday, I was sat out in the garden, reading this:

“David sang a song to the Lord after the Lord had rescued him from his enemies, especially Saul. These are the words to David’s song:

Our Lord and our God, you are my mighty rock, my fortress, my protector.You are the rock where I am safe.You are my shield, my powerful weapon, and my place of shelter. You rescue me and keep me from being hurt. I praise you, our Lord!

I prayed to you, and you rescued me from my enemies. Death, like ocean waves, surrounded me, and I was almost swallowed by its flooding waters.

Ropes from the world of the dead had coiled around me,
and death had set a trap in my path.I was in terrible trouble when I called out to you, but from your temple
you heard me and answered my prayer.

Earth shook and shivered! The columns supporting the sky rocked back and forth. You were angry and breathed out smoke. Scorching heat and fiery flames spewed from your mouth.

You opened the heavens like curtains, and you came down
with storm clouds under your feet. You rode on the backs of flying creatures.You appearedwith the wind as wings. Darkness was your tent! Thunderclouds filled the sky, hiding you from sight. Fiery coals lit up the sky in front of you.

Lord Most High, your voice thundered from the heavens. You scattered your enemies with arrows of lightning. You roared at the sea, and its deepest channels could be seen. You snorted, and the earth shook to its foundations.”

2 Samuel 22:1-16

After laughing at the thought of God snorting, it struck how many human attributes, and those of animals, that David gives to God. Then I realised that God was here first, and that we’re made in HIS image, not the other way around. Little bits of God can be seen in His creation, and so often it gets overlooked.

Also, just I was thinking this, from over the fence, I heard the old hymn ‘All Things Bright And Beautiful’, coming from our neighbours house. Our neighbours who aren’t christains.

For those who don’t know the lyrics, here they are:

Chorus: All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.

Each little flower that opens,
Each little bird that sings,
He made their glowing colours,
He made their tiny wings.

Chorus

The purple-headed mountain,
The river running by,
The sunset and the morning,
That brightens up the sky;

Chorus

The cold wind in the winter,
The pleasant summer sun,
The ripe fruits in the garden,
He made them every one;

Chorus

The tall trees in the greenwood,
The meadows for our play,
The rushes by the water,
To gather every day;

Chorus

He gave us eyes to see them,
And lips that we might tell
How great is God Almighty,
Who has made all things well.

Chorus

Interesting…

Home Again

 At long last, I’m back home.

 

For the past 10 months of my life, I’ve lived and worked in Cusco, Peru and visited numerous places throughout the UK.

 

My team and I returened from Peru in April, and for the following two months, we were sent to our home churches and to other churches who have a connection with BMS (the chairty we worked with), talking about our experiences to churches and schools. It was the most exhausting time of the whole gap year. Yet, I learned a lot from it. It also gave the four of us a chance to get Peru out of our system. It pushed me right to my limits at times, and, as a result, I’ve grown closer to God.

 

Now, it’s all over, and it was definatly worth doing…but only once!

 

Right now, I’m attempting to proccess all that I’ve seen and done during the most random, challenging, exciting, tiring time of my life so far. Not an easy thing to do.

 

Thankfully, I’ve now got a lot of time on my hands in which to attempt it!

 

Some photos from ‘the most random, challenging, exciting tiring time of my life’: 

Machu Picchu

Children’s Holiday Club

A Monkey in the Amazon Rainforest

The ‘A-Team’ About to do an Assembly in Warwick

The Art of Nothing

Here’s a poem I wrote about something that’s become very apparent to me recently.

 

The Art of Nothing

Sometimes, no words need to be said. There are times when no thoughts need to be thought. The art of nothing is a beautiful thing.

There are days that are needed. Days when all you do is sit around and rest. We all need to take moments where we lay down our guns. The art of nothing is a beautiful thing.

We don’t always have to be on the go, juggling so many balls we loose count. We can sit in the silence of our own company or share the stillness with others. Words aren’t necessary, they aren’t the food of friendship, but time is.

Time, a precious thing, so easily shattered, interrupted, constantly moving; so fast it can feel like it’s flying. And yet, time can stand still, most often, I reckon, when we ourselves are still, enjoying the art of nothing.

Rob Foster