The Upper Room

Christmas here at last

Yep it is early October and I have already seen my first advertisement for Christmas spending.  While at a business lunch the overhead TV screen declared I should "buy my Christmas music now".  With expected slow retail sales this Christmas advertisers are acting early. This is making me even more determined not to spend this Christmas season.

Studies

This has been a very exciting time for me. As many of you know I have been studying Hebrew.   This has been home study with some wonderful resources.  But I got to a point where home study was not enough. I needed to go deeper and have formal instruction. 

I have entered into a Biblical Hebrew class.  The class is very intense with a goal of completing first year seminary Hebrew.  I am loving every minute of it.  There are good stresses and bad stresses.  The bad stresses for me are often work related.  The good stresses are being pushed to think harder and go deeper into GOD's word.  The class is two hours every week then we have eight hours of home work.

Hebrew is a wonderful language.  It is rich and rewarding.  As one person once told me, "English is like a line drawing, Hebrew is like a sculpture, it has contours and texture".  That statement is certainly true.

Listening

 
Image: ASBO Jesus

Summer may have led to a slow down in blogging, but it has not curtailed the tunes I listen too. Much of today's worship music seems like fluff.  I have been craving substance.  That meat has been found in hymns. These ancient songs are rich in theology and deeply Christ centered.  Kingsway has produced a marvelous series called "The hymn makers". This series is well worth buying and will nourish your soul.

Alive and kicking

I want to thank everyone who has contacted me asking, "is everything Ok"?  It is true I have not blogged in over a month.  Yet, I can report that all is well.  The lack of blogging is nothing more than a determined effort to enjoy life. I have been spending less time in front of the PC and more time experiencing good things.

I have been making greater efforts to spend times with friends. Going for long walks. Reading books of of all kinds, from theology, science and general fiction.  Prayer has also been a major focus.  Summer is good and I have been enjoying the time.

On fathers day, we took a drive to Duluth.  Both of us really need to get out of the city. We spent a little time at Duluth harbor.  A tacenite vessel came into port. 

As it was fathers day the Captain's family were on hand to welcome him home.

From the lake front we went on to a state park.  While sitting in silence, listening to the breeze rustle tree branches, a young deer came out to feed.

Nature is far more entertaining than anything on television.  In peace and silence we can sit back and watch a whole world most of us never encounter.

So for those of you who have been concerned about the silence...worry no more. Life is good.  I hope to blog more in the days to come, stay tuned.

Blog Spotting

This week's blog spotting goes to the Tall Skinny Kiwi.  Andrew has an excellent post on the nature of giving, both from a macro and micro perspective. We have all seen the impact of  our changing economic landscape.  Churches that once boasted a large tithe now find themselves in financial difficulty.  That being said we are seeing the rise of  small church giving.  Herculean efforts are being made by small churches who are now giving in a different manner. 

Has the landscape of giving changed completely? Are we seeing the rise of micro giving giants? To read more on Andrew's observations click HERE.

Yom Hashoah

On April 21st Israel and the world remembers Holocaust.  This day is Yom Hashoah.  A day to remember and mourn one of the most evil acts of human history.  I will say no more and just leave you with this vid.

From Purim to Passover

On the evening of March 9th, at sunset Purim begins. This is a wonderful holiday celebrating all that GOD did in turning an enemy into a friend.  Thirty days later Passover begins. Here GOD exerts his power to free a people and establish a nation.  For the Christian Passover means so much. We think of the last supper, we think about Jesus our Passover lamb. Both are great miracles, both leave us in wonder.

Sadly many minds are skeptical and have no place for miracles. In my life there is still a place for wonder, awe and miracle.  Enjoy this season of "simcha" (joy), and think about the miracles around you.

For a Jewish understanding of Purim, click HERE.

For some Purim dancing on Ben Yehuda see below.

In the deep darkness - but not alone

It has been often said that GOD is most present in the deepest darkness.   Darkness was certainly before me recently.  As I reported in an earlier post my grandfather passed away three weeks ago.  Before I go any further a word on my background may shed some light.

I grew up in England, the London borough of Hillingdon to be precise.  My emergence on this earth was into an all too typical situation, that of a one parent family.  My youth can be divided into two very clear demarcations, one of happiness the other of conflict and sadness. 

My early years were spent living with my grandparents. These were the good years. This was a time in which I felt loved and safe.  Through the teenage years I spent with my mother and were far more difficult. I won't go into the challenges that existed but I will say that this was a time of darkness. But in the darkness GOD found me. In the deep darkness light came. 

A number of years ago my mother passed away through cancer.  This was hard. There were the thoughts of what could have been. Painful memories and frustrations.   There is  more I could tell but why bore the reader?  In the darkness of this time I was upheld.  I had to close up my mother's home and say good bye.  This was difficult but not the end.

A couple of years after my mothers death my Grandmother passed away of pneumonia.  My Grandfather was devastated. After 66 years of marriage such a parting is not easy.  This time was a challenge but not as difficult as I imagined.  My grandfather was still there and I had a home to go to in England.  Despite losing family members I still felt closely connected to my grandfather and my home.

Upon hearing of my grandfather's passing we left for England. Staying in his old home was strange. This was also my home,  the only difference  no-one was present. The silence was loud. I kept expecting to see him in the living room, or hear him comment about something in the paper.  It felt like a chapter of my live was closing and the connection to my home broken.

The emotional situation was worsened by the weather. While flying into England we both got excited about the green fields. We remarked about not having to deal with snow. Then the next day came, the worst snow in twenty years.  London ground to a halt.

The funeral was powerful. The hearse arrived with a coffin draped in the flag. On top of the coffin was placed our flowers, in the shape of a cross.

 

Myself, Dawn and other family members went in the lead car.  This was a difficult drive. We passed through all places I grew up on the way the crematorium.  The service  was  a good reflection of a life well lived.  My grandfather was a man of honor.  He lived a hard life but was strong. He took care of his family and did what was right.  Some tears fell, but that is not a bad thing. 

The remaining days were spent cleaning out my old home. The situation was now getting a lot harder for me.  A life chapter was certainly closing.  I can't fully explain the emotion but it was like death upon death.  

I am blessed to have many good friends. Sadly I got so caught up in the situation I did not use my time well. I couldn't see everyone I wanted too.  Basically, I saw those people that were in walking distance of my old home.  Deepest thanks go to Gordon, Darren and Sarah who spent the time to lift my soul.

There was also some time to reconnect with family,  this cannot be understated.  New relationships have been born and I look forward to the future.

We have now arrived back in Minnesota. I find it hard to say I have come home, but I suppose I have.  I still feel the darkness of the past days.  All these events have not fully processed. I find it hard to embrace life.  Many critical tasks seem like a chore.  I just remind myself that in the deep darkness GOD is there.

A final loss

Most people think of grandparents as something they visit on a Sunday.  Family members that we have little contact with, and are known by our parents as mum and dad. The story for me is different. My grandparents had a large influence on my life, they raised me until the age of twelve.  Even after that I had a great deal of contact with them. 

Several years ago my grandmother passed away. Yesterday I was informed that my grandfather died.  This loss has been worse than all so far.  My grandfather was the last immediate relative I had.  He was in every way my connection to England. 

I learned a great deal from my grandfather, life lessons that cannot be taught by a professor of some distinguished academy.  So for now I grieve. I think of the past and dream of those days when I used to be with him.

A page has turned

Today a page has turned in American history.  A chapter has closed and a new one opened.  May the words of this benediction come about.