Cakes and Champagne....

Elbow - 'Lippy Kids' (Live at Blueprint Studios)

The song above is my anthem at the moment, I heard it the other day on the radio..

It was one of those moments where the song, the lyrics, the melody, literally take your breathe away, it was a crazy day, noise, busyness and tiredness was my state of mind. But I swear the world just became quiet for those few moments of the song. It was like God said 'Claire, this tune is amazing , I know you would love it, so I will make still the world for you, for a few minutes, so you can appreciate it.

I love that God draws so near to us in all different ways, music being an intense and powerful way... and I love the way God says ' I want to be sharing this with you...'

One comment underneath the song on YouTube says 'this song makes you want to smile and weep at the same time' I agree...

Enjoy.xxx

Happy People...

I love it when churches come together and take action. This week In Coventry there was an event, that went on throughout the whole week called 'Christ in the Precinct' where there is singing, face painting, chatting, praying and getting to know people.

Yesterday I was on my lunch break at work and went and joined them for abit.

A Church was signing 'Everlasting God' and they were really starting to shout out a joyous praise. Next thing all Christians in the vancinty started to just spontaneously dance and sing, it was like a praise flash mob, not one to be left out, I got right in there, with my ham sandwich in one hand and a banana in the other and it was brilliant.

People saw that God gives you Joy and happiness and a reason to dance like a loony in the middle of the street. So much so that people walking by, started to join in and dance. They wanted to join in...the happy dancing....

This morning in church my pastor said the Church 'should be famous for love not judgement', what about famous for happy dancing with joy rather than reserved people trying to fit in with society.

There was a moment when I was in the middle of the crowd thinking ' look how I've changed' I was one of the people looking at them thinking 'Muppet's' but also wanting to join in, but never showing that side....

Thank you God that I have the best reason to get up and dance in the middle of the street, and that your sons and daughters are blessed ....

Yes I am a loony, and I gladly am for him....Jesus...

Keep dancing people...
XX

Wait and listen

Wait. Author Unknown.

Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried;
Quietly, patiently, lovingly God replied
I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate,
And the Master who gently said, "Child, you must wait."

"Wait You say wait!" my indignant reply.
"Lord, I need answers, I need to know why!
Is your hand shortened? Or have you not heard?
By faith, I have asked, and am claiming your Word

"My future and all to which I can relate
hangs in the balance, and YOU tell me to WAIT?
I’m needing a ‘yes’ a go-ahead sign,
Or even a ‘no’ to which I can resign.

"And Lord, You promised that if we believe
we need but to ask, and we shall receive.
Lord, I’ve been asking and this is my cry;
I’m weary of asking! I need a reply!"

Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate.
As my Master replied once again, "You must wait."
So, I slumped in my chair, defeated and tout
And grumbled to God, "So, I’m waiting. . . for what?"

He seemed, then to kneel and His eyes wept with mine,
And he tenderly said, "I could give you a sign.
I could shake the heavens and darken the sun.
I could raise the dead and cause mountains to run.

"All you seek I could give and pleased you would be.
You would have what you want – but you wouldn’t know Me.
You’d not know the depth of My love for each saint;
You’d not know the joy of resting in Me
When darkness and silence were all you could see.

"You’d never experience that fullness of love
as the peace of My Spirit descends like a dove;
You’d know that I live and I save . . . (for a start),
But you’d not know the depth of the beat of My heart.

"The glow of My comfort late into the night.
The faith that I give when you walk without sight.
The depth that’s beyond getting just what you asked
Of an infinite God, who makes what you have LAST.

"You’d never know, should your pain quickly flee,
What it means that ‘My grace is sufficient for Thee.’
Yes, your dreams for your loved one overnight would come true,
But, Oh the loss! If I lost what I’m doing to you!

"So be silent, my child, and in time you will see
that the greatest of gifts is to get to know Me
And though oft’ may My answers seem terribly late
My most precious answer of all is still, "WAIT"

I found this poem about 3 years ago in the back of a sale book. And it speaks to me as much today as back then. Waiting is hard, flippin smegin hard, especially when you are having to wait in a place you would rather not be.( and you are a mad head walkabouta like me). Today me and a friend were chatting about Listening to God, we both find it hard to listen clearly, but even more so when we are in a place or season we want to move on from..

And Yet...

I love that it is here that God can do some serious stuff in the season of someone waiting... I admit I Feel like sometimes I must get on Gods nerves with my moaning and groaning and yet deep down he knows, I know, I need to deal with some stuff before I can move on...

arhhh, so lord until you say go....

I Wait and listen......