Poem

When all is said and done, 

I wish to walk towards the Son. 

Holding fast to the cross, 

Kneeling at his feet.

Dancing for his glory.

Singing all his praise.

I want to tell all these kingdoms,

about great news you are.

Share a glimpse of heaven and 

Share the love from all above.

Poem

I started this some time ago, by the sounds of it, it wasn't the brightest time in my life... today I finished it :D

I feel asleep one night
and down I fell
a dream of bugs and bells
The fire burnt bright
the shadows grew deeper
I hope i awake to daylight strong
and an ever deepening understanding
and voice for your song

The Royal Norfolk Show

For the last couple of years I've had the great opportunity of working with the Churches Together Tent at the Royal Norfolk Show. For those of you who are unaware of this particular county show, it is currently the largest Show of its kind within the country, to the point this year Norfolk made the national travel updates due to the amount of traffic on the roads... usually no one outside our county needs to know.

The first few years I had the privileged of an in-tent job working with the Messy church set up. The tent is often set out as a cafe with activities for children families or any one really who wants to get involved and then with activities around the perimeter focused on the theme as well as a prayer space. I loved woking on the Messy Church work, it gave both an opportunity to be messy but to allow the adults as much as anyone to have the space to discuss faith in a non threatening if not slightly unusual environment that was not judgemental but trying to offer support in all ways. It wasn't just families but teachers as well, especially primary school teachers who were not necessarily comfortable with teaching RE found it great to allow their children to explore faith through both messy and Godly play. With the two years I spent in-tent so to say I had a great many conversations with visitors to the show.

These last two years my role has been different, with the interest in chaplaincy my minister gave me the great opportunity to join other ministers, nuns and local chaplains in being show chaplains. I remember last year being completely daunted with the task when they showed me 'my patch' so to say. Firstly I was young. There is no denying the fact that in the culture in which I am most often perceived (British or Western) I am not of the age to talk to unless I am talking to those of that age, who probably should still consult some on older. It is difficult to think that in some cultures by now I would probably have been married off by now with at least a couple of children to fend for. Yet I recognise currently I have to have a lot of confidence within my ability and my identity, in some ways I can not hide behind the idea that age is wisdom because I do not have the wrinkles to pull it off (not all wise people have wrinkles and not all old people have wrinkles not all old people are wise and not all wise people are old - just as a disclaimer.) I do not have the identity of a dog collar, and actually this is something that people still connect with. The dog collar in some places can still be seen as something to respect. I found this year on my first at the show sharing the role with some who wore a dog collar meant that some people spoke to me because of the lovely lady I was with, who would not even recognise me the second day, let alone give me the time of day in some cases, because of this natural authority and respect the dog collar still gave. It was not the same in all cases but I still had to make my own identity and communicate that to the people with out the very helpful aid of a dog collar. Personally, I would like to recognise that the chaplains would have done and did there job wether with or with out the dog collar. They do an incredibly difficult but rewarding job and I pray that all chaplains in all situations from simple show chaplains to forces chaplains, betting shop chaplains to canal chaplains train chaplains to hospital chaplains and beyond continue to rest in God and allow his Spirit to continue working in there work.

1st of September

I'm not sure that its the new year that changes the world.... Nothing happens in January except a load of mostly already broken promises we keep trying to persuade ourselves to do.

September is the month!
September is the month when everything changes... its really the start of autumn.
But looking back every September is a change, big things happen.

We go back to school, or college, or Uni, if we have families they do the same and if we have none we can go back to places as there are no longer school, college or uni students hanging around.

Its been 10 years this September since 9/11. Its the month of international talk like a pirate day. Its the start of the Methodist Year. September was when we started using our current calendar system!

This time last year I posted about a changing experience I had with the Army, and it is incredibly scary to think that the guys some younger than me who had started there training when i visited will have completed there phase two training and probably be working full time. Its bizarre to think that some I have met will still be training to go back out to continue fighting a war or peacekeeping or still be prepared to blow people up and be blown up.

Two years ago I would have been panicing about going to Uni, What would Cliff be like, would anyone like me, would the food be okay would I be able to write assignments. What would happen when people discovered how clumsy I was. I had my first Uni hospital visit. I made fantastic friends, I wrote my first assignment albeit in November ... I survived, and most would now accept my clumsiness as endearing.

The year before that we started with the this time next year you could be at Uni speech...
The year before that Welcome to college speech...
The year before that we started with the this time next year you could be at College speech
The year before that Welcome to your GCSE's....

You kind of get the picture. September is when everything changes.

You are thrown into life once again... building up to something to look forward to all winter... something to hold fast to as the colour fades from summer skies.

This September is no different.
I can most likely guarantee I will go back to uni and get the this time next year you have to enter the real world... welcome to your final year of your degree. Its inevitable.

I'm not the same person each September though. This one month is not the end of life changing events its just a key one.

So what about me this September.

I'm still clumsy.
I'm still on the road... just.
I still love God, still clinging to Jesus and attempting to live by the Spirit.
I love dancing more than ever.
I have taken up photography.
I'm quite excited about writing a dissertation.
I'm on trial as a Local preacher.
I still paint badly.
I'm still scared about receiving the collection in church.
I want to learn to sky dive and visit Australia.
I'm still looking at a calling in Methodist Ministry,
and I still have not organised my third year block placement.
I no longer wear odd shows which is both odd and a shame.
I no longer organise my computer files as well as I should or my books by colour.
I still would love to own a kayak and drive a yellow mini (old style)
Mundesley is still my favourite place in the world.
and I still love to stand on the Edge, in literal and metaphorical sense.

Furthermore in my new (That being September) I cannot wait to see how God is going to refine me, how he will reclaim me, and how is plan is going to work out for me. I may not be looking forward to all that sanding down and chopping off but its plan.

Whats more I hope I stay smiling as God is Good... all the time.