The time is coming.

I will be starting back up on here soon, and I apologise that I didn't update sooner as I did not want this to become a rather large moan about how awful the experience of attempting to access NHS mental health care is, whilst searching through the soul crushing process of job hunting on Jobseeker's Allowance.

I just thought I'd let you know that soon I will return
God bless.

Hiatus.

Hi everyone, just letting you know I'm taking a small hiatus from updating whilst I formulate some new posts.

Will be back soon though.

Thought of me above all? Mobile Reflection 3.

One of many that I fiddle about with around my synapses at church.


For Facebook: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjYiEyu8Si8

"You took the fall, and thought of me above all."

Has there been a subtle shift of the importance in the gospel story?

Did Jesus come for us or for God?

Is our salvation more important than God's glory?

These are questions that went screaming through my mind as this song was playing at church tonight. People have made this entire culture in church around 'worship', and about how much they get out of church. People talk about church in reference to themselves. People talk about God in reference to themselves. People talk about everything in reference to themselves.

Dare I suggest that we, as a church in the fallout of the Enlightenment, have usurped the central facet of the gospels for ourselves in place of God? Now I'm not saying that this is something that has been done maliciously and deliberately, but has been unwittingly subtle, the gospel stories aren't viewed as mighty demonstrations of God's power through Jesus, they're a love story to mankind, and that is how I've heard them described. Health, wealth, and prosperity is an ever increasing message coming from people in Western cultures.

When Jesus was hanging on the cross was it really us he was thinking about? Or was it God? Was it about freeing mankind from it's mess, or was it about doing the will of his Father? What were the words he cried on the cross, are they not pretty telling about where his mind was? This song is just one of many that I find myself being incredibly critical of, not because they aren't powerful they really tug on the heartstrings of the masses, but I think that is where their danger lies, and where the dangerous lies are to be found.

I think there need to some serious upheavals within the culture that has built up around the church, there are wolves in the flock though not in human form, so I pray that you remain vigilant as to what message is actually being broadcast from your songs, your actions, and your lifestyles.

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits."
Matthew 7 v15-20

I pray you don't wait long enough to see the fruits, as that may just be too late.

Internet Justice.

Am I correct in thinking that the internet is a place of complete injustice? Has the 'freedom of speech' stuff just gone way out of hand?

I'm currently invovled in a back and forth with the creator of a Facebook group 'I can now come forward and admit: I have been abused by Michael Jackson'. Now I understand the sentiment, especially on being intimidated about going against the huge legal power Michael Jackson's wealth could bring to bear in court proceedings if he were still alive to do so.

However, the groups itself focusses around Michael Jackson jokes such as 'BREAKING NEWS: Madeline McCann found in Jacko's basement', group officer titles of 'The most abused of them all' and 'Officer of vaginal blood', which in themselves are incredibly childish jokes, but in particular the second one, if we are to believe the stories of Michael Jackson's alledged paedophilia charges, he didn't involve himself with girls.

Furthermore, the discussion I am having with the creator of the group illustrates my point even more, he is attempting to create a facade that it is a true case, however when asked why it is he has not gone through the proper legal processes of putting a claiming against Michael Jackson's estate, which I believe if found authentic he would be entitled to do so, his response was that I made a spelling mistake.

The group has, by myself and by others that I know, been reported to the Facebook admins and hopefully some justice will come out of this, but it leaves me viewing the internet in much the same way as the American 'wild west' era.

I believe something needs to change, liberty and freedom are being abused and there needs to be action to stop it. What that action might be I couldn't say.

Soundtrack to my life. Mobile Reflection 2.

I swear, one day I will catch up with posting these.
This is one that I like from my phone;
I was travelling to London to visit Jess and on the train I was listening to random playlists and I had a realisation.
Backdated from May 09
'Have you ever found yourself considering your life as a music video?
If so, what songs define your present situation? Your future? The journey you're presently embarked upon? You as a whole?
I am currently sat on a train and have my music running through shuffle, and I've had three songs that sparked my imagination, three saw me viewing my life as music videos in three parts.
Firstly there was Jack's Mannequin with 'Spinning';
"...
...
... gah! I just spent the last HOUR looking for a video/making one to specifically to put Spinning up here, but there are no non-live, non-some prig playing it over webcam versions of the song thanks to YouTube's policy on licence agreements. Grr, sorry everyone, shall have to find it yourselves, Spotify has it...
...
..."
I felt this song playing through my situation as I was experiencing it, everything going madly out of control, but managing to be upbeat despite not being able to 'remeber when the earth turned slowly' and also realising that 'I lost my place but I can't stop this story'. This song holds as a reminder of not letting it all crash down on top of me. Also see Swim by Jack's Mannequin.

My second song was from The Postal Service, 'Such Great Heights'.

For Facebook: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMOkfI7wCrI
It highlights something very close to my heart, Jessica. The song talks about being a mirror image, an opposite, of the one you love and how God makes people that way. We are very definitely opposites, we highlight, and cover up all in the same breath each others flaws and weaknesses, we're two sides of the same coin. I could see one of those really cheesey but incredibly lovely montage videos of a couple together. It was my memories of us.

My final song of this particular journey is one that has always held a special place in my heart, ever since I first heard it on MTV2, 'All I Need' by Air;

For Facebook: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqBCOBRcMqc
Today this song feels perfect, particularly with the accompanying video. I'm on a train listening to a song that sounds and feels like a journey, a journey viewed from the third person, utilising muted tones, follow shots, time-lapses, and looking almost stop motion. Taking the video I love so much out of the equation, I can see my own in my mind even now as I re-listen to the track though I highly doubt I could ever do justice to what I am viewing within myself.

So let me finish with this, love your imagination, imagine your music video, visualise it. How does it look for you?
Realise the soundtrack to your life.'

Another sleepless night.

I'm really starting to worry now, these nights are getting more and more frequent. I just want some sleep, I don't want to be spending a day all wiped out again. I need the energy to be able to decide what to do about everything.

Whoever reads this, please pray, I can't take this much longer.

In line with a mobile culture. Mobile Reflection 1.

It's 5am, I haven't slept at all, and am still awake from Saturday, good thing I've not got work today. I thought I'd take this opportunity to fill people in on where I've been these last couple of months, I've not stopped thinking or reflecting and wondering and pondering, I've just not been transposing those thoughts into the aether that is the internet.

I currently am the proud owner of a Nokia 6620 Classic, though why it is called a classic I've no idea as this is the newest model of the 6620 series, anyhow, I digress. One of my favourite features of this phone is that is has an Office package within it that contains a 'Notes' operation. It's rather quite nifty and oh so functional, as one would expect from the Ikea of the phone world.

Why this little spiel on a trivial little matter such as a programme on a phone that is common to almost all phones of this day and age I hear you ask, well, that is because Notes has become my method of immediate capture of spewing thought streams from my all-too-often overactive and easily distracted mind. It works like my own personal blog, within which I alwasy intended to put forth onto the great aether but never quite got round to.

Now I am getting round to it, periodically, starting with two thoughts this morning me thinks.

CONFUSIONS ARISING FROM CHURCH VOL.1
1. Jesus is Lord... God is king... Or is it the other way round? Is saying a 'Lord' prayer, "Lord we come to you now...", and finishing said prayer with "... in Jesus' name" incorrect?
2. When looking at the biggest 'hero' of the new Testament, short of Jesus that is, Paul do we see him as the leader of his journeys? Did Paul lead really Barnabus, his spiritual elder, or did Barnabus lead Paul?

Just things that came up at church one week, many ago.


The second thing I want to put up is a beautiful piece of music, it hit me quite hard when I first listened to it, and it still resonates deep with me now. Enjoy.



God bless all,
Peace.