REVIVAL IN LEICESTER (23) - ALWAYS HOME

One of the delights of revival is the unity it creates. Not only between churches but within the congregation, across all ages and backgrounds.

We’ve just celebrated the end of another Leadership Year and Encounter Year at Chroma, for the students involved. Listening to their thoughts on the year was inspiring. Here we have a group of young people who are already turning the world upside down for Christ.

I loved the joy, the enthusiasm – the dancing! One student was planning to ‘upscale David’ with her dancing!

It’s so good that most will be staying in Leicester, and that for any that are moving on, as Pastor Steve said, ‘here will always be home.’

That’s true for the students, but it applies to all of us. What God is doing here is so precious, it will remain with us wherever we are in the world. And wherever we are, if you ask us about revival in Leicester, there will always be a smile. 

And maybe a dance….

Leaning into Relationships

A 75 year study (yes, 75 years!) by Harvard University shows that long life and happiness is reflected by strong relationships.

This remarkable study is still going after all these years. Over 700 men started out being interviewed. Over 60 are still alive and in their nineties, and still being studied.

It’s not money or fame that gets you a long and satisfying life, its good relationships. Loneliness is a killer. Family feuds take a terrible toll on the person that holds the grudges. A happy marriage adds years to your life.

This is not rocket science- but it is social science. A real study over 75 years is hard to argue against.

It’s not the first time I have heard this either. Dr JohnTrickell did a study of various societies around the world that lived the longest. His conclusion as to what brought long life? Fun, friends, family and faith.

To have good friends throughout life is a blessing. To have a faith that brings about a friendship with Christ is even more precious.

So, lean in to relationships that give you satisfaction, friendship and fulfilment. You’ll be happier for it, and live longer.

Want to find out more about the study? This is a 12 minute history:

Six Things I Hate About Facebook

Well, hate’s a bit strong really. Maybe ‘dislike’ is better.

1. Games. Please- don’t ask! No, I’m not going to build an imaginary farm, join pretty shapes in a row or shoot anybody. I don’t like guns. And I’ve got games thanks. Risk. Trivial Pursuit. Ever played Mexican Train Dominoes? Come on over.

2. Emotional threats. It reads like a caring Facebook post. And then it changes. You get to the bit that says ‘I bet nobody really cares’. Or ‘I will know who really cares if you reply to this’ or ‘I bet I can guess what few friends reply to this’. Or ‘if you post a message you are one of the few who care’. And so on. I don’t respond to emotional threats. Neither should you.

3. Avoiding commas and apostrophes. What have they done to offend people? They’re needed. Especially with “You’re” and “Your”. It annoys me. As someone recently posted, commas are essential and can save lives:

- Let’s eat Grandma ...or perhaps...

- Let’s eat, Grandma

4. Facebook posts that can go on too long. Oops.

5. Cats. Why? I mean, why?! So many of them. Facebook is being taken over by cats! I love stories about you. The funny things. The family things. The holidays. The beautiful photos. The not so beautiful photos. I love celebrating with you. And it’s a privilege to pray for you in the hard times. But cats?! Please- no more!

6. Public unfriending. Why announce it? Just do it. I’m grateful I’m your friend. I don’t need to know you’ve unfriended everyone else. And if you were to ever unfriend me, I might just have to come over and shoot your cat.

Taken from my Facebook page.

What Do You Want From Life?

This is a letter sent to the Daily Telegraph, recorded in The Week Magazine:

Dear Sirs

I was assisting my 16-year-old daughter with her homework when she received a text from Mum, which read "What do you want from life?"

This was an unexpected and profound question for an exam-sitting teenager. We debated various answers - wealth, fulfilment, love, all three.

Five minutes later, she received a second message, blaming predictive text for correcting the word "Lidl".

Using The F Word

A few years back I had the privilege of attending a pension’s event in Australia. (Stay with me- I know pensions is pretty much a ‘click to the next article’ subject). One of the guest speakers was Dr John Trickell. He was discussing longevity- a hot topic for us pension geeks!

Dr Trickell said we had to start using the ‘F’ words – fun, family, friendships and faith. It is these four ‘f’s that give us long life. He went on to prove it with research and data.

It makes sense. A good combination of a healthy lifestyle with lots of family and friends around. And linked to a real faith that there is more to life than just the latest paycheque or the newest gadget. (Which is why I HATE Black Friday by the way).

So it was interesting to note a new article on the BBC website today, investigating a community that lives a lot longer- and a lot healthier- than most. They are a church community in California.

Fun, family, friendships and faith. Try it. It works.

Twenty Albums Everyone Should Own (Part 2)

A reminder -  it’s a personal selection. Of course it is. And it reflects a certain time period as well. But you wouldn’t go far wrong in seeking out these albums/downloads and adding them to your collection…..

I’ve excluded compilations and they are kind of in an order, but can pretty much change at will, depending upon the mood you’re in. Here are the next ten; there could have been so many more! Let me know what you think!

1.       PINK FLOYD – THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON

Floyd at their best. ‘Time’, ‘Money’, The Great Gig’…. If you’ve not heard them, you’re missing one amazing album.

2.       ADELE – 21

A new and prodigious talent. A mix of folk and soul with most of the tracks written by Adele, who was only 21 when writing! ‘Rolling in the Deep, ‘Rumour Has It’ and ‘Set Fire to the Rain’ are just three of the brilliant tracks, with no weak ones in sight. Now famous the world over - with reason.

3.       HARRY NILSSON – NILSSON SCHMILSSON

The Beatles declared Nilsson as their favourite artist and this, the strongest of his albums, is why. ‘Gotta Get up’, ‘Coconut’ and ‘Without You’ are the best of a strong set of tracks. And Nilsson’s version of ‘Without You’ went on to be a worldwide hit.

4.       DEREK AND THE DOMINOES – LAYLA AND OTHER ASSORTED LOVE SONGS

Trying to tie Eric Clapton down to a ‘best album’ is next to impossible. He has continued to produce top quality albums to this day. But if I had to pick, I’d go back in time to this one. It has the best guitar lick of all time in ‘Layla’ and strong tracks all the way, partly due to the able assistance of a strong band including Duane Allman.

5.       JONATHAN KELLY – TWICE AROUND THE HOUSES

I can pretty much guarantee you won’t have heard of this guy. His album is haunting, emotional folk-rock. Great lyrics, especially on ‘Ballad of Cursed Anna’ and the political ‘We Are The People’. And for every up tempo song, there is a lilting ballad such as ‘Madelaine’ and ‘Rock You To Sleep’ (which I used to sing to my children when they were growing up!)

6.       SANTANA – ABRAXAS

How can one album pack so many classic Santana hits? It does! ‘Black Magic Woman’, ‘Samba Pa Ti’ and ‘Oye Como Va’. Incredible guitar playing. So different to most guitarists, you can tell it’s Santana within a few seconds as the Latin-Rock style begins.

7.       PAUL MCCARTNEY AND WINGS – BAND ON THE RUN

Slightly controversial choice in that I put this ahead of all the Beatles albums! Pop at its slickest, McCartney at his best.

8.       SIGUR ROS – TAKK

The Icelandic band with a made up language and grandstanding melodic symphonies. ‘Takk’ gets the nod ahead of other albums mainly because of  'Hoppipolla', a beautiful melody. You will have heard it; believe me, you will have heard it!

9.       BOB DYLAN – SLOW TRAIN COMING

This is from Dylan’s ‘God’ era and is all the more wonderful for it, with fabulous lyrics alongside the best of melodies. ‘When He Returns’, the title track, and the fun (for Dylan) ‘Man Gave Names to All the Animals’ are the best of a strong bunch.

10.   MOUNTAIN – NANTUCKET SLEIGHRIDE

A close run final slot with Mountain just seeing off Stray and ‘Saturday Morning Pictures’. Leslie West’s guitar and vocals is what gives it the edge. Strong, powerful rock. Wish I’d made it to one of their concerts!

Twenty Albums Everyone Should Own (Part 1)

OK, it’s a personal selection. Of course it is. And it reflects a certain time period as well. But you wouldn’t go far wrong in seeking out these albums/downloads and adding them to your collection…..

I’ve excluded compilations and they are kind of in an order, but can pretty much change at will, depending upon the mood you’re in. Here are the first ten; the others will follow. Let me know what you think!

1.       EVA CASSIDY – SONGBIRD

The artist never knew fame in her lifetime. Her version of ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ was picked up by Radio 2, and this, the best of her albums, sold millions. A clear as crystal voice makes for moving listening.

2.       MIKE OLDFIELD – TUBULAR BELLS

It was so different when it came out in the early seventies. Aside from earning a fortune for Richard Branson and his new record label, it’s a great fusion of classical meets pop.

3.       FLEETWOOD MAC – RUMOURS

Beautifully crafted pop music with the amazing voice of Stevie Nicks and fabulous harmonies. This is their best studio album, in my view, recorded as they reappeared on the pop scene. Includes the classic tracks ‘Don’t Stop’, ‘Dreams’ and ‘Go Your Own Way’.

4.       ARGENT – IN DEEP

If only Rod Argent and Russ Ballard had stayed together, Argent could have been as famous as Deep Purple or Led Zeppelin. Brilliant keyboard and guitar mixes and the classic often copied song ‘God Gave Rock and Roll to You’.

5.       DON MCLEAN – AMERICAN PIE

In his later years, he appears to have become disillusioned with fame, and the quality of his songs reflect it. This is a young Don Mclean at his best, with the title track and ‘Vincent’ as stand out tracks. Not a weak track on the album.

6.       CAROL KING – TAPESTRY

The whole album is a work of art. The tracks flow together, bringing a great listening experience. Includes classic tracks like ‘Natural Woman’, ‘You’ve Got A Friend’ and ‘Will You Love Me Tomorrow’.

7.       LARRY NORMAN – ONLY VISITING THIS PLANET

Something of a Christian/Mainstream crossover, this is the prolific troubadour at his very best. Not a weak track in sight (which sadly can’t be said of later albums), it’s a mix of strong politics and big messages.

8.       EMILE SANDE – OUR VERSION OF EVENTS

There is no doubt that the Olympics gave Sande a whole new worldwide audience. And she deserves the fame with this classic album. A great voice linked to memorable tunes.

9.       NICK DRAKE – FOUR LEAVES LEFT

What if Drake had lived? He would be world renowned. His short and tragic life left us with a gem of an album. Introspective, haunting, magical.

10.   SIMON & GARFUNKEL - BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER

This is the last, and best of five classic albums. Paul Simon has gone on to greater fame, but may best be remembered for his collaboration with Art Garfunkel, who provides the beautiful harmonies alongside Simon’s penmanship.

Air New Zealand and The Hobbit

If all safety video's were like this we'd all pay more attention! One of the highlights of our trip!

 

The End Of An Era

Proud to be British

I didn't realise just how patriotic I was until I watched the London Olympics Opening Ceremony last night.

Well done to Danny Boyle for getting it just right. He produced a show which was self effacing, humorous, full of pathos and with a good dose of pride in our achievements. There was no doubting the message - as a country we don't always get it right but we have brought the world the industrial revolution, sporting achievements and invention, pop music, Shakespeare, Peter Pan, Harry Potter, David Beckham, James Bond, the NHS, Chariots of Fire, the World Wide Web and - oh - Mr Bean?! I loved his performance of the Chariots of Fire theme song. Great drama throughout, so much going on - I'm sure at one point I saw Lord Voldermort being zapped by Mary Poppins!

The lighting of the flame was particularly powerful. From Beckham to Redgrave to seven young people lighting 205 copper petals, each petal having been carried in by a participating country. And then for each of the petals to rise into the air and create one flame was not only clever but visually stunning.

What a wonderfully chaotic and powerful evening. The whole thing was thrilling to watch and with the world's eyes on us, it was a proud moment.

The Happiness Survey (2)

The latest results from the Office of National Statistics happiness survey – carried out earlier this year and interviewing over 4000 adults- shows money doesn’t make for happiness. The survey shows that as a nation we have a happiness index of 7.4 out of 10. The same score as last time, despite a real downturn in the economy.

What did show up was what a lack of a job did. Here the index went right down to the low 6’s. People need to be valued, to have a purpose, to be able to provide for others. We are a ‘people’ people. Work is what is valued above money.

As we’ve been told over the years, riches can’t buy happiness. And the statistics show it to be true.

Money can buy a house, but not peace; medicine, but not health; amusement, but not joy; therapy, but not healing; a bed, but not sleep; allies, but not friends.

A final word from the writer of Proverbs: Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold.

Who's the customer?

I was part way through an 11 mile walk along the coast west of Dolgellau when I arrived at the George III Hotel in Penmaenpool. It was about 11am, so time for a coffee.

ME: Hi, do you serve coffee?

PROPRIETOR: Yes sir.

M: One coffee please.

P: Yes sir. Anything else?

M: Oooh yes please! I’d love a piece of toast.

P: We don’t do food.

M: What do you mean? You’re a hotel!

P: Yes sir. Food is at lunchtime.

M: So why ask if I wanted anything else?!

P: Kitkat? Mars Bar?

M: I’ll just have the coffee thanks.

A great walk but not sure I’ll be going back to the hotel……

The Finish

Well, it’s done. The London Marathon that is. 5 hours and 24 minutes. Not my best time, but it was a hot day!

I’m pleased to record that my only injury (other than not being able to walk the next day!) is a cut lip. I managed this at about mile 22 when my coordination went slightly awry, trying to take a drink form a water bottle!

Thank you to all those that have so selflessly given towards the Esther Homes. As I write this, we are well over £18,000, with tax money to add back in as well. We will leave the site live for a while yet for any late-comers.

www.epoh.org.uk

For those that would like to follow our progress in buying and/or building the Esther Home, the EPOH web site will also keep you up to date with this. As it stands, we are hopeful that we may be able to part buy/part rent towards owning a building of our own.

With an event like this, there is always a list of thank-you’s. So here goes…

Thank you to:

- Lisa Ryan for her hours of patience setting up the site, and putting up with my impatience! For allowing our India work to join forces with her Africa work and also for the great seat at the marathon for Roh.
- Steve Cronau for the hours of work on the site and setting up the Paypal link when it became clear that the HMRC department wasn’t going to respond in time to set up Virgin Giving.
- Liz Lavies for all the treatment on my calves. And for refusing payment so the money could go to the Esther Homes.
- Mickey Vincent and all at Chroma Sport for the free printing of the running vest.
- Adam & Karen for putting me up for the night before the marathon. And Helen for the coordination.
- Tim Hunt for accompanying me on the marathon, and not making too many corny jokes.
- All my friends at churches past and present, friends within the pensions industry, friends at TLM, those on our India team, and everyone who has helped with contributions towards the fabulous amount we were able to make.
- And of course, Roh, Nathan & Joy, Elspeth & Rob, Josh and Lois. I’ll try not to complain too much at not being able to walk!

Check

Running gear? Check.
Running number? Check
Electronic tag? Check.
Sexy looking calf compression socks? Check. (Not so sexy though)
Pedometer? Check.
Nutrition bars? Check.
Sports drinks? Check.
Ibuprofen and paracetamol? Check.
Vaseline? (!) Check.
Sun protection cream? In the UK? Yep, forecast to be a warm day. Check.
Bed at friends’ house near the start? Check.
Ready to go? Not really!
Sponsorship complete? Almost check!

If you haven’t got round to sponsoring me yet, there’s only a few day’s to go until Sunday’s race. Please help the Esther Homes children by sponsoring me here:

www.epoh.org.uk
…..and thank you!

REPOST: Forest Gump

With the London Marathon now three weeks away, this looked an appropriate re-post! (from November 2007)

Here's a story from a few years ago. I used to do more running than I do now, as did Tim Hunt, a friend of mine.

Tim called over one night with a big grin on his face, full of what had just happened. He'd been out running and had run past a group of girls- and one of them 'wolf whistled' him. Well, Tim was full of it! He dined off that story for a good while afterwards!

I went running myself a few days later in Yaxley, where we lived at the time, and sure enough, up in front of me were a group of girls. Recalling Tim's often told story, I pushed my shoulders back, increased my pace and ran past them looking as cool as possible. I waited for the wolf whistle. Nothing. Then, just as I passed them, one of the girls called out 'Run Forest Run!'

Tim dined out on that story too!

If you would like to sponsor me, running for the Esther Homes in India, here is the web address:

http://www.epoh.org.uk/

Pardon?

THE SCENE: Early Saturday morning. Ralph & Roh still in bed. Ralph snoozing. Roh doing and early morning Bible study.

ROH: “I didn’t realise how much the Ferris’s dislike Jesus”

RALPH (suddenly fully awake): “What did you say?!”

ROH: “The Ferris’s. They really hate Jesus.”

RALPH: “No they don’t.”

ROH: “They do!”

RALPH: “But Roh, Ian Ferris leads worship on Sunday’s and Gill works in the church office.”

ROH: “Not the Ferris’s you deaf old thing. The Pharisees!”

Surprise

2000 years ago. The shepherds were surprised. They knew the stars in the sky. They saw them every night. But this one was new.

Then the real surprise. Bright light and glory! And for them. The poorest of the poor. The nobodies. The also-rans.

The wise men were surprised. They too knew the stars in the sky and this one had no right to be there. And it was for them. The richest. The wisest. But not so rich and wise as to think they could ignore the sign, ignore the call.

260 years ago. The audience were surprised. What an amazing sound. Handel had been working on The Messiah for an incredibly short period of time. He was inspired. The sound was in his head, the star was in the sky. Refusing food and sleep, he kept working until it was finished. As the ‘Hallelujah Chorus’ was completed, with tears in his eyes, Handel cried out “I did think I did see all Heaven before me, and the great God Himself.”

Recently in a shopping mall in Canada. The innocent shoppers were surprised. They had no idea that a full choir had seated themselves across the food court in what was to be one of the best Flash Mob’s ever.

2000 years ago. 260 years ago. Today. It’s still true. Enjoy the video. And Happy Christmas!

Busily Doing Nothing....

A postcard from my Dad, on holiday with my sister.....

'Today we did nothing. Tomorrow we plan to do less.'
Wonderful.

Wishing you all a peaceful, restful and Christ-full Christmas and New Year.

One Minute Message

Lawyers. Who needs them?!

I really don’t get on with lawyers. Not entirely true. There are a few I would consider good friends. But for most of them, especially in my business area of pensions, I would much prefer to work without them!

Pension lawyers are not the worst though. How about those who advise the poor old manufacturer? I came across this individual portion of butter the other day. It warns me that butter contains milk! (And someone paid a lawyer for that packaging advice!)


Then there is the salt sachet that warns – you’ve guessed it- this salt sachet contains salt!


Not content to moronically instruct us on butter and salt, we are then advised that a bag of peanuts…. Well, you’re ahead of me by now, I’m sure……