Playing Catch-up

What a few days!

Conference, birthday, Mothers Day, worship, flights and so on.

You would think there wasn't time to catch up on a few missed #40acts tasks - but not so!

Managed to get into a conversation with smile staff members at the conference centre we were at, also made one of then laugh by calling her 'Beetlejuice' (it was funny, honest, but you had to be there).

Shared generosity with someone who was generous in return.

Experienced generosity through others for my birthday and tried to be generous to others through the opportunities of Mothers Day. I feel all caught up.

And then today's task is focused on prayer - what better way to 'recover' after such a busy time. This task, however, doesn't feel like much of a challenge though - simply praying for the people and issues that come up through my news feed on Facebook. I try to do that anyway. So today I will do so with more consideration and try to share my concern or let the individuals know I'm praying for them although I may do that discretely.

So as I head into South London today I am already to scour the screen for those things that speak to my heart and soul - and the first will be a prayer for all of those involved in #40acts this year!

I was in prison...

One of the things that I disliked about being a minister in a local church was occasionally visiting prison. Maybe someon had requested a visit from a Salvation Army Officer, or the chaplain felt I was the right person. I never enjoyed it - or felt fulfilled by the experience. Many pastors love this aspect of ministry - I am very blessed by them for I cannot bear it.

The one moment of light relief was when I went as part of a music group to visit Swansea Prison for a Carol Service shortly after moving from Cardiff. As the inmates were led into the meeting room where we were already sitting a ripple ran through a particular area of the gathered group. One of them stood up and waved shouting 'hiya Russ' then three or four others did the same! To Prison Officers were bemused as I waved back and sheepishly said something like 'good to see you again'. These were all partners or relatives of people we had ministered with in Cardiff as we ran a Prisoners Families Support group at our Salvation Army church. 

These people were human just like me they hurt like me and the have joys just like me - it's just that they have done something that is against the law and they are paying the price. their families pay a price as well.

Today's task requires that I at least pray for prisoners or victims of domestic Violence - 0ften prisoners in their own homes. Or that it write to someone in this position, or that I keep writing.

I'll try - I don't think it will be easy... 

One little word

Yesterday someone apologised to me. Their 'offence' really is not important, their apology unexpected (I am not a grudge bearer). The conversation that followed was full of compassion for another colleague. Easy talk, relaxed concern.

Would it have been the same without the apology at the beginning?

I don't know but I definitely know that it wouldn't be worse. The word 'sorry' is heavy with with responsibility - use it carefully but definitely use it.

I hope that I give no one offence in any way, I hope no one begrudges some word or action of mine, but if I have offended I am truly sorry.

How about you? The liberation of one five letter word can change lives.

Something from me to you...

I am writing this blog in the evening - well, almost night really - as we spent most of yesterday travelling, finding our hotel and getting sorted out and getting ready for a four day conference which started this morning.

I did have chance, however, to read and then pray through today's #40acts challenge (read it here: http://www.40acts.org.uk/the-challenge/BOGOF? ) 

It's about bargains - and anyone that knows me will know I LOVE a bargain! But it has to be a real bargain - not just something that I buy because it's cheap but something I would have bought anyway but is massively reduced. Like when I looked in a charity shop for some black shoes and found an unworn pair of black Loakes for £12. List price £130 - bargain!!!

So I have to do a bit of a buy one get one free - and pass the free one on...

No problem - I think...

Except I'm at a conference centre and everything is provided for me for the next four days! So it looks like I'll have to bank this challenge for later on, maybe at the weekend, and do it then.

However i do have something to pass on: my faith. Even though I am with forty or so senior leaders from my denomination it is too easy to get hung up on church governance and structure and forget the one that we are doing all of this for. 

Jesus - it's all about Jesus.

His generosity of living and dying reflected in our generosity of giving. So I will share what I have - the most precious gift that is mine. My devotion to Jesus.

Across generations, across the years, across the world

Very deliberately I made connections across generations yesterday - and I don't know whether any of those who contacted me is doing #40acts but that led to helpful conversations as well - even learning something into the process.

I sent FB messages to a couple of second cousins who were part of my life thirty years ago but really we haven't seen each other for at least the last twenty - I learned from one that they have children (didn't know that!) and the other will contact me today I reckon.

I discovered that one of the 'ever present' kids from our first church - you know the sort of child I mean: if the doors are open they are there - was driving through Scotland - we're going to try and meet up in the next couple of days.

And then there's the young media staff member based in our London office who, in spite of just asking when a meeting was, enabled me to develop a different approach to using our social media for ministry!

None of this is really mentoring and, honestly, I didn't have deep and meaningful conversations that were peppered with weighty silences and consideration was given wisdom and insight shared. It was, however, good to connect and reconnect. Undoubtedly there are more conversations and shared life to come.

It also caused me to think about a boy I met in Paraguay last year who, along with the other children at the centre where he attended because his home life was so difficult, held the record for learning the most memory verses. In excess of fifty verses had been committed to a mind that had witnessed the depths of poverty and despair. He had done what the Bible says to do and 'filled his mind with whatever is pure, noble, upright... Etc'. As today is about sharing scripture and yesterday was about crossing generations the thought of that youngster comes fresh as an example of someone I should have learned from...

Caught out!

I knew this would happen! I love the approach that #40acts takes with the approach to generosity and being a more generous person. Using Lent as a time to give out not give up is great.

But those sneaky people at Stewardship who organise and prepare #40acts occasionally put something in that throws me a bit off balance - and today is that day.

The idea is not a problem - spend time with someone of a different generation. Share wisdom together. That's all fine until the dreaded word "Mentor" is used...

I have on my office wall a quote for entrepreneur Jo Malone 'don't have a mentor, be your own person, have your own ideas, make your own decision' (or something very similar to that. It's there because, frankly, it's what I think...

Having said that there are those who have asked me to mentor them - and we have met and shared coffee and conversation, there are also those who I have spent time with and really benefitted from their knowledge, wisdom and experience. But Mentoring - not for me - it's all too formal and not organic but it works for some no doubt.

So today I have to adapt the task into my own experience and to do that will not be a problem - it also means that I can follow up on yesterday's task of listening to the Holy Spirit - and making contact with someone from a different generation.

More Plastic - and more Prompting!

I started to carry out a 'plastic inventory' as part of yesterday's task:

Milk Bottle,

toothpaste tube,

Toothbrush,

Light switch,

Recycling box(!)

Wheelie Bin (!!)

Car dash board (actually a large amount of the car)

The list goes on and on...

I even bought some metal screws from a hardware shop and they were in a little plastic bag - as if they were going to be protected by it! Obviously it was used to keep them together.

As I became more aware because I was consciously looking for the plastic I became more concerned at the over use of this very versatile product. Equally concerned that people sleep walk into using plastic unnecessarily. Fortunately we have a cost attached to plastic carriers in Scotland. I would always avoid usin one in favour of a personal bag anyway - but nowadays you see many less supermarket bags. So that's good - but I guess it's often because of the accumulated added cost rather than some newfound Eco-awareness that may be going on.

Awareness - that's the key for me. This is my fathers world - I don't want to mess it up or break it, or even add to someone else's mess. Awareness for me means changing habits of a lifetime and looking after this amazing space He has provided for us. So I'm still going to try to ditch even more plastic and be careful with the resources that are mine - because they are a gift from Him.

That 'Awareness' needs to move beyond the resources and out to the people in this world, being aware of opportunities - or rather promptings from the Holy Spirit - to help others, make their day easier, their burden of life a little lighter.

When Catherine preaches she will sometimes say that if we are walking closely with God the first response to a situation will be spiritual because Jesus is within us, then almost immediately our selfish voice persuades us away from and action. 'Go with the first voice - it's God' she will say. 

How many people have gone without because I have not responded generously at God's instruction? Today I am on high alert to hear and act...