A little review...

One week into #40acts is a good time for some review of what has happened so far.


I took the opportunity to look back at the two lists I drew up on March 1st and check against them how I am developing in having a more generous heart. Certainly I have been happy to share my creative skills with others: a planter for my wife (possibly doesn't count as I had said I would make one some time ago, cakes for others and another little project that I hope will be beneficial to some of the dog walkers in the area; made a small donation to a charity that supports prisoners families.


Also I looked at how I had been generous, or otherwise, with my time and emotion...


I have found that over the last few days my emotional connection with myself is more 'open', possibly even feeling a little raw at moments. I was moved deeply by the team prayers we shared yesterday in our office. My thoughts have turned frequently to my past when I was extremely selfish and hurt others. Lesson learned: don't act that way again.


Am I spending more time with others - not intentionally but the time I am spending is more intentional (if that makes sense!) I am paying more attention to the community that I am part of and today I am especially looking out for those from whom I am different: different faith, different skin colour, different 'style', different interests.


Always enriched by diversity I look forward to making some new connections and friendships that could potentially be longer lasting - I pray!


One of the important lessons learned is that even as I look through those original lists other things occur to me, other ways I am able to be generous - or withhold generosity. Equally I am aware that this is not a ticklist exercise, it is about a changing attitude to all I have and recognising that I only have it by the grace that God has shown me.

So here's the thing...

Wow - what a few days doing #40acts!


Firstly there was an 'off grid' day - no real problem with laying my phone on one side so I can engage with the local community - but I did really discover how much I use it for all sorts of things: diet, exercise, Dr Google (obviously), Social Media, music - but seriously felt better for laying to one side even if only for a few hours. Definitely something I will be doing again.


Today I will be avoiding staying behind my desk to communicate - so I'll be getting up, engaging, phoning, shouting across the office - you get the idea! Having consciously done this before I know how easy it is to slip back into the bad habits of just doing everything from a distance - so today is the start of a new approach: again!!


All of that is fine but for the fact that yesterday the challenge was around engaging with prisoners through one of the prison charities. Upon reading the challenge yesterday morning I was transported back twenty years or so to Cardiff when myself and Catherine were ministering principally to prisoners families: wives, girlfriends and parents and so on. How their lives were imprisoned just as much as their loved ones was something that became apparent very quickly.


We tried to do all we could to support them - today I will be redoubling that connection with these people, or at least those like them today, by donating to a charity that works with offenders to stay connected and build relationships with their families.


I'll give you an update on the other tasks that are taking a little longer vey soon!

Pack a Punch

On day three of #40acts I need to get to know my local community much better - this is probably a very good thing as I've only lived here for a few months and really don't know much of what goes on. Alongside this I still have to meet yesterday's challenge - I was on the road for much of yesterday so was not able to prepare an assistance pack.

What I'm thinking is tht I'll take a look around the community and then prepare some packs for people that might need them - not sure who they will be or what their needs might be.

I want the packs to be relevant and to be impactful for those who get them.

So really I need to be generous with time and opinion as I get to know my community a bit better so that I will really connect with them.

Lets see if I can really pack a punch!

Set Out

Once again this year I will be participating through Lent in #40acts.

Why?

Because, if I'm honest I can be a very self centred individual who needs to think out wards a bit more, give a little more - if you know what I mean.

I keep this Blog each year as a bit of an accountability tool but this year I am grateful to have someone else keeping me accountable, I will get a call or email each week from one of my friends, Carl, who will ask me if I'm being generous... And I don't know when he will contact me so there is a bit of jeopardy involved as well!

Yesterday, as well as getting Carl on board, I drew up two lists, where it can be generous and we here in know I can be selfish, they aren't exhaustive lists and I guess I will add to them through Lent.

If you feel I can help you with anything - please ask, I want to be generous in every sense, time, emotions, talents and so on.

So thanks #40acts and thanks Carl! Let's see what happens...

Wanna talk? You need to listen...

Today I was preparing myself for my morning prayers (I use Pray As You Go as then basis of this time as well as some reflective Bible journaling). I was impressed immediately that the Holy Spirit was telling me to listen: listen very carefully.

So I did. While scripture was being read I listened. In the space following the scripture I listened and the two themes of 'mercy' and 'grace' came strongly to me. 

I prayed that I would now and show these qualities in the same measure as I have experienced them - which is massively.

Then I turned to @40acts to see what today task is and what the teaching is and there, in black and white, is the story of prayer working and the challenge to pray for others, to let them know, to seek out specific prayer subjects. 

When I meet with my work colleagues at around 9am we will be praying for each other and for several other people and situations in the absolute knowledge that we are doing the best thing in bringing them to God - anything we can do after that is simply being used by Him. 

Money, money, money!

The greatest thing about #40acts to me is that it has caused me to think very intentionally about how generous I am. As a husband, father, son, brother, leader, pastor and so on. This journey of three years lasts beyond Lent. It has stopped some of my bad spending habits and started new ones.

As I am prompted to think about how I spend my money by the folks at Stewardship I am also being nudged by the Ignatian Reflection for today that Jesus is everything I will ever need.

All the rest is just stuff.

The prompting is so strong for me that when I turn on my banking app I have set is so the welcome message says 'be generous'!

Initially I thought this was principally about money but gradually I rediscover (for I think I have known this before) that generosity is about being available, open, accepting, giving.

Do I support numerous charities as a result of this? Not on a regular basis but when possible I like to Sipport Open Doors (persecuted Christians), Bible Society and Habitat for Humanity as well as my own church at The Salvation Army in Cumbernauld.

Do I ever feel I am being generous enough? Honestly, no, but I also know that I am on the way to being more generous with my money, which for some of the causes that resonate with me makes a difference of a few pounds.

And on the way I have healthier spending habits and am more available to others.

Be generous because you already have all you need.

I'm listening...

Today's task for #40acts is about active listening and perhaps initiating a conversation with someone who I have not spoken to for a while and chatting (but mostly listening!) to them.

I have a famous ear - in fact probably everyone who reads this blog in the UK (and I don't know whether that is many or few) will have seen a picture of my ear on a Salvation Army Clothing Bin. 

Maybe as a result of that I have been told I am a good listener, good eye contact and empathic responses. But I know the truth. Yes, eye contact is something I ensure I do, I know how to make the right sounds in answer to statements and questions, I can even think of things to say when there is a lull in the conversation. In truth, however, I am very often already thinking about what I will say as my next point, or how I can shoehorn a funny one liner, or, sadly, how I can draw the conversation to a close.

Today will be different, I will clearly listen, I won't be thinking of me I will be focusing on YOU - whoever you may be.

As an addition I will deliberately seek out people on the edge of my friendship and influence groups, people I spend very little time with and listen to them. They will have wisdom that I have yet to encounter because I have not taken time to really listen to them.