Renew the mind - life-long learning credo

Books I read in 2005

1. Mission to Oz - Mark Tabb
2. Retrofuture - Gerard Kelly
3. The Body Broken - Benson
4. Facing Ali - Brunt
5. Sabbatical Journey - Henri Nouwen
6. God in the Alley
7. A generous orthodoxy - Brian McLaren
8. The Third Peacock - Robert Farrar Capon
9. Buck Naked Faith - Eric Sandras
10.The Five people you meet in Heaven - Mitch Albom
11.In the Name of Jesus - Henri Nouwen
12.Angels and Demons - Dan Brown
13.The Kite Runner - Hosseni
14. Dancing the Dream
15.Nine things you must do - Henry Cloud
16.Celebration of Discipline - Richard Foster
17.Blood and Fire - Hattersley
18.To be Told - Dan Allender
19.Life Together - Dietrich Bonhoeffer
20.SoulTalk - Larry Crabb
21.Glimpses of Jesus - Brennan Manning

These are high impact winners - Fiction "The Kite-Runner *****
Non-fiction: SoulTalk, Retrofuture, Buck Naked Faith, Generous Orthodoxy, To be Told, Sabbatical Journey, Glimpse of Jesus *****

An extraordinary year for books and insights, challenge - can't wait for 2006 - got a stack on my desk! Bless you one and all.

The Light shines in the darkess...

Sometimes, when you're tired, or you slow down and get in touch with your feelings, or when you read a newspaper, things appear dark.

All the muzak, and external forces and activity seems to bring it into focus, unless you medicate.

When we are being renewed inwardly in our minds, in our spirits, we know that the light shines in the darkness. Light of the world - here we are to worship - come into our world, shed your light - we need you, oh yeah, we need you.

The hopes and fears of all the years...

Ah the Madonna will have joy this Christmas - she is plugged in, she is connected! She must have been "nice" -got her i-pod!

It is more blessed to give than receive - time, positive regard, attention, space, understanding, compassion, a hand up when someone has fallen, listening, stopping to think, consider, act.

Connections are crucial - rooted in God, clothed with the graces of Christ - issuing in a grateful heart - healing words, hopeful words.

The gift of self, not comparing with others, but being present with others. Life-affirming, not avoiding, not fixing, but being present - incarnation, immanuel, Hopes and fears met in Jesus, thanks be to God!

Light and life, healing - God usually loves through us...

Some children see him lily white,
The baby Jesus born this night,
Some children see him lily white,
With tresses soft and fair,

Some children see him bronzed and brown,
With dark and heavy hair.
Some children see Him bronzed and brown,
The Lord of heav'n to earth come down;

The children in each diff'rent place
Will see the Baby Jesus' face
Like theirs, but bright with heav'nly grace,
And filled with holy light.

O lay aside each earthly thing,
And with thy heart as offering,
Come worship now the Infant King.
'Tis love that's born tonight!

The darker the night, the brighter the light shines - shine Jesus shine in us, through us, where we need to be.

God in the face of a child....

As they journeyed homeward o’er moor and fen
It wasn’t the anger of Herod then
Which haunted the thoughts of the three wise men;
And it wasn’t a Mother who smiled;
Nor even a Baby’s unwinking stare
As the rushlight gleamed in that stable bare
On the glittering gifts they brought Him there;
It was God – in the face of a Child.

There’s a pilgrimage for us all to make,
A star to be followed, a road to take
Ere our search be ended; and hearts may quake
At a prospect so daunting, so wild.
But our mundane lives will be rich and bright,
Transformed by the glory of Heaven’s light

If at Bethlehem on this Christmas night, We see God – in the face of a Child.

We are not alone - God knows, God understands, he has walked where we walk, he is with us (most often through other people). The light shines in the darkness - thank you O holy Child of Bethlehem....