Amazed & Confused

You say it best, when you say nothing at all...

It's challenges like this that make me wish I was the slightest bit creative in the drawing, filming or animating department.  I can think of a few different ways to approach the above challenge but totally lack the ability to follow through!  Oh well, you can't be good at everything... cough... 

"What's the vision? The vision is Jesus."

Expressing the diversity, passion and direction of the 24-7 Prayer movement is never an easy task.  What do you do when someone doesn't have time to listen to you wax lyrical for a few hours or read Red Moon Rising?  I've found a few succinct ways to express parts of the movement (a prayer room, or a project) but all I've really discovered is that 24-7 Prayer is the name we've given to holy, colourful mess :)  Trying to sum it up is like trying to build a sandcastle with dry sand.  You can give a rough impression but it's near impossible to bring definition.

Makes the above an interesting challenge!  I definitely think there should be some people up to the task.  No words is a great equaliser of language and education.  How to express the vision of 24-7 Prayer without using any words!?!

If you fancy turning your hand to a creative submission then you could join me and many other lovely people in Frankfurt for Aufstehen (or if you can't make Aufstehen I think you can keep you ticket for a future gathering :)  So who's entering?

Never too old for fancy dress or fake hair

Yes, that is me dressed not as a goth, or an 80s pop star but as the infamous Bellatrix Lestrange from the Harry Potter series. To mark the last instalment of this epic series in film Adam, Lisa and I (aka the Trundle siblings) dressed as Harry, Luna and Bellatrix respectively to watch the film that ends many years of reading, watching and geeking out...

Is it healthly for an almost 30 year old to dress up as a character in a (sort of) kids book and trapes around in public?  I think so.  Why should the fun stop just because you have to also be responsible and do things like pay a mortgage?

Sunday's fancy dress expedition was actually my second viewing of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 and I must say it didn't disappoint.  I am long passed hoping that they capture every little nuance of the books and have accepted that film is simply a different genre.  What makes a successful book and a successful film are two quite different things.  Having said that I think they made a really good stab at capturing the complexity of the final book.  Though I know virtually by heart every twist and turn of the story I found myself surprised, thrilled, tearful and caught up in the suspence.  Kudos Mr Yates.

I've now seen it in 2D and 3D and my ambivalence to the bespectacled and expensive medium grows.  It is to the credit of the film makers that my stinking funny glasses induced headache didn't ruin the film... Sigh... I guess 3D won't be leaving us any time soon... I'm becoming less inclined by the viewing to fork out for it though.  Hmm... better sign off before I start ranting!

Re-imagining Sudan (spread the word!)

My lovely friend, Mr Andy Freeman, has thrown out a particularly brilliant challenge to the 24-7 movement this week. This Saturday I'll be joining him in scrawling on my hand and praying for the nation of Sudan...

"Imagine a country divided north from south." Writes Andy. "A country which has a southern oil rich area, but a northern area focused on political power. Imagine a nation who’s leader is wanted by the International Criminal Court. A nation which has within it’s border’s one of the world’s most infamous conflict areas in it’s north. A nation split by different religions. A nation which plays host to many different militia’s each intent on using violence to gain their aims. If you can imagine all that, you’re probably imagining the nation of Sudan."

Andy's come up with some brilliant and understandable prayer suggestions, so find out more about how we're praying this weekend and spread the word.  I dream of walking down the street and noticing dozens of hands with prayerful scrawlings on.   Tweet, Facebook, blog, let's bless a nation in an historic moment of change.  Wake up Saturday, grab your marker pen, add your 'Amen!' and upload a photo of your hand to 24-7 Prayer's Facebook group :)

 

My screen saver just led me in worship...

I had a bit of an issue focussing in my prayer time this morning.  I'd made the school girl error of leaving my laptop open in front of me as I attempted to focus my mind on God.  The ping of an email arriving, or the number alert on my to do list kept tempting me to abandon peace and silence and dive into the hubbub of the day. In a moment of determination/frustration I flicked on my screen saver and was stunned by the image that filled my screen...

The swirling gas of Jupiter in all it's oranges and yellows gave way to a beautiful image of the sun reflecting off the surface of the earth, gave way to a breathtaking nebula... The words of Psalm 8 ran through my mind...

"When I consider the heavens the work of your fingers, 
the moon and stars, which you have set in place,
what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
human beings that you care for them?"

Suddenly it took no effort at all to think about who God is, what he's done and the pleasure I have in talking with Him.  It seemed a divine fluke that my random screen saver chose such appropriate images this morning.  If I could thank a computer programme I would. xc