What John said....

Science talks....

Yesterday I was at work, and I was speaking to a mate, all the while there was this girl a few steps behind listening in, every so often she was nodding or shaking he head, eventually she came up to ask for help, (she was buying a present for her mum, for her birthday) so after showing her some idea's so came to the counter with her purchase. and we got talking , well you know what I am like, little miss chatterbox.

Anyway, so she used to be a christian (she later said she would consider herself a christian 'she believes in God, but all the theology side is just a whole mess to her).

She went off to do philosophy Degree at university and has since struggled with all the questions that this has made her throw at her faith.

She made a bold statement of 'Faith and science just don't go together, I've read Dawkins and his fellow people's books and though I don't agree with the viciousness they come at faith with, they ask good questions, I've asked my pastor and he can't help me really'

I spent some time talking about how actually science makes me personally more crazy in love with the Creator God and ended up giving her a Louie Giglio DVD 'How Great is our God'. I made her promise to watch it, then she has to come in and tell me what she thinks, even if she thinks, it's a load of ****.

This Girl is my kind of person, working out her issues, open to say 'I don't get it'. She has looked at the other side that many Christians don't and yet still there is something there in her, that has made her not throw away God completely.

I told her she will never get all the answers and she knew that, I think she was just tired of the Christian responses we hit back to challenging questions with. I do this!

I love people that Challenge and enquire.... God loves them also...in fact so much more a hundred times more than me and then some...

I Will let you know, if she comes back in to chat about the DVD.

The Ibiza Wedding.....

Christine and D
The legned that is G
My Girl Nicole, Bruce's Sister
Emma and billy

Yesterday I got back from Ibiza which i was at, to be at the wedding of bruce and christine friends from which i made when i was on 24-7 Ibiza mission team, but are still top friends now....

It was great to celebrate with them, their love for one another and see old friends and make new ones....

Ain't no party like an Ibiza party....

The tune for this week....

Island Hopping.....

I am off to a certain sunny Island for a bit or R and R and the wedding of the year at the weekend.... wooooo... Bruce and Christine.......whaaheyyyyy

Books will be read, Sunsets will be seen, drinks will be had and shapes will be made...

Yeah boi!!!

Why Not ?

George Bernard Shaw wrote 'You see things; and you say, 'why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say 'why not?'

Robert kennedy quoted this and challenged a nation........

One of My favoutire saying's 'Why Not? ' There are good 'Why Nots?'and bad 'Why Nots?' I admit there are times when I have already been told no or to wait from God and I am pushing that answer. I know that's not good..

I am tyring to see my heart and motive behind everythingand trying to learn the difference between a passion for God and my Arrogance and rebellion.

It's freakin hard...

Lost in translation...

Today I was 'Lost in Translation.' Everywhere I went, there seemed to be an array of languages and terms being used that I had no comprehension of, and that feeling of being the outsider and an easy target to be laughed at or rinsed of money or dignity was an occurring theme.

From going into the phone shop and being asked all these technical questions about things, I have no clue over... sayings and jargon's, that are far beyond me. (I just said yes to every question.)

To lots of Polish/ Spanish/ French people being out in cov in groups today, some looking , smiling and jeering over girls, whilst chatting to each other. (you known that feeling of your being talked over, that was experienced) To groups of foreign customers coming into the shop and totally confusing and draining me .

That feeling of being an outsider and of having no clue, being quite vulnerable and an easy target, is not something we as humans deal or like well. and well it feels like crap.

But then I thought. Do I do this when people come into the Christian bookshop? Do I speak in a christian dialect ? (e.g Hillsongish... Australian accent. ha ha joke...)

Do I throw out words and slogans, titles and references, and people are suppose to know what I mean? If you have never had a bible before, if you throw out things like ' NKJV , CEV or NASB' it can confuse the flip out of ya!

Do we do this in church?

Do I do this in church? (now that's a scary thought).

Sometimes I worry that I might become to indoctrinated into the christian style of speech, that I loose my ability to keep it simple and sweet. (there are some crazy Christian words around like ' diocese, atonement, reformation and dogmatics, they may all hay great meaning but are pretty scary to a non christian)

And Jesus was the king of making the idea, the concepts, his parables, his words so easy and stripped down of unnecessary pomp and circumstance and yet so amazingly butt kicking and challenging...

If I can be even a tiny bit like him, I will be a happy women...

Not lost in translation. but Found in simplicity.... here's to only using small words I know the actual meaning of...

dogmatics. means the different way dogs lie on mats right.. ha ha

x

The sun is shining today and I am off to work in a minute.... And even though I have been working lots lately....( you know how i am allergic to work). I am still in a happy Bouncy mood..

Happy working on this Thursday....

xxx

Exit....

Saw this on the inside of a church door as I was leaving the building.... thought it was pretty top class....

Stir me.......

Last night was in bed and I read the below poem, in the beginning of a book by Dr Helen Roseveare... Its a dangerous Uncomfortable, Prayer... But I Love it.. Stir me.........

Stir Me

Stir me, O stir me, Lord, I care not how,
But stir my heart in passion for the world!
Stir me to give, to go, but most to pray;
Stir, till the blood-red banner be unfurl’d
O’er lands that still in heathen darkness lie,
O’er deserts where no cross is lifted high.

Stir me, O stir me, Lord, till all my heart
Is filled with strong compassion for these souls;
Till thy compelling Word drives me to pray;
Till thy constraining Love reach to the poles
Far north and south, in burning, deep desire,
Till east and west are caught in love’s great fire

Stir me, O stir me, Lord, Thy heart was stirred
By love’s intensest fire, till Thou didst give
Thine only Son, Thy best beloved ONE
E’en to the dreadful cross, that I might live.
Stir me to give myself back to Thee
That Thou canst give Thyself again through me.

Stir me, O stir me, Lord, for I can see
Thy glorious triumph-day begin to break!
The dawn already gilds the eastern sky:
Church of Christ, arise! awake! awake!
O stir us, Lord, as heralds of that day,
For night is past, our King is on His way!

Mrs. Albert Head

Seminar Slap....

Yesterday I went to an all day conference workshop thingy to do with Drugs and substance abuse. Jackie Pullinger was speaking and there was a few different seminars with different aspects of substance abuse discussed etc etc.

When I go to these things, I am always really wary, because I love getting taught and challenged,(I just get quite heated with one man, saying Abstinence to drink for everyone...Errr No! but anyway) and we got prayed for, but I also get annoyed at everyone just chatting about it, me included....

On the lunch break, just by the church their is a pub and as I Walked by (quickly went to the shop to buy supplies of choc and sweets to get me through the afternoon) there is a guy there holding some alcohol standing quite wasted , and I walk on by him in a rush, I give him a smile and a acknowledgement, but don't really make a huge effort to talk to him, as I am in a rush to get back to the seminar which is talking about Drink and drug abuse....

Is that what God would have prefered for me to do? I think Not !

Seminars are good, and teaching is good, but only if I put it into practice. Until I get that bit right, I can have all the teaching in the world, but it ain't gona help, until I am obedient to the call, of 'GO'

Stop Going to church Claire. Be the church!!!! Dime bar!!!!

A Day of wearing shades, as I seemed in favour to miss the rain today, meeting great people for lunch, havin banter at work, then having great trash TV to chill with at home....

Glastonbury....