Go on an adventure!

I am now reading 'Moon Dust' which I am enjoying, though I have only just begun it. It is a sort of biographical historical account of the apollo missions and the men who came back from the moon, how they relate to the world after their journey. It is a wonderful coincidence as I had given a sermon last sunday on Genesis 1 and Used the Apollo 8 Christmas Message as a background to the sermon. I found the book the following morning lying on a table in the backroom. I had seen it there a week earlier - often people discard their old books at Café Forever, and I am so grateful to the deliverer - whether God or man. I would also recommend it - though I am not finished - the writer has an amusing, humorous style whilst adding loads of technical details that show the difficulties that existed in the era of moon travel and the mental states of those men alive today.

I have started reading again - for the past 5 years - since Hannah's birth I have been quite busy and so I have rarely got into much of a book - I had done an awful lot of reading between 2000 and 2006 and I think I needed a break anyway! I have just consumed the biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer by Eric Metaxas  which has been an excellent read. I have enjoyed learning so much of the German resistance, almost ignored by western films and books - I grew up thinking that all German people must be just like Hitler, thanks to films like 'Kellys Hero's', and 'The Guns of Navarrone'. Metaxas looks at the faith of Bonhoeffer, his upbringing, his struggles with the decision to assassinate 'the fuerher' and his relationships with his friends and those who would harm him, and basically his attitude towards life and death. It also takes into account the culture of Germany and the world at the time, and describes Hitlers methods and his henchmen. It is a thick book, really! But I assure you if you get your hands on a copy it is not slow to read  - at least for me it wasn't.

I chose the Apollo 8 mission as the source for the bible reading for the church. It is almost as if that opening chapter of the worlds most read book was to be delivered in 1969 from the moon in order that it would have it's full impact. These men have travelled 250 000 miles on a rocket. As far as I can see, there was only one other manned flight of an Apollo mission and very few others beforehand that orbited the earth, Apollo 1 caught fire during a test phase and burned up it's 3 crew members inside. It was a daring mission, the most daring adventure ever, to get into an untested spacecraft consisting of 6 million parts to launch into space and go to the moon and back. It is in every sense ASTRONOMICAL! What I found so amazing about the Christmas message is that here they are, so far away from earth and all they can comment on is how good the earth is. They are grateful for it, incredibly grateful, they make me feel very fortunate to be on it. It was at the time the most watched TV broadcast ever. Millions of people the world over saw it, millions of people the world over heard Genesis 1. At the highest point of adventure they realise that they are there by mercy alone.

It makes me think about orbit - what do I orbit around? When I come into contact with others do I talk about grace? Do I take daring adventures trusting in others, going as far as I can? This is well worth watching over and over again.

When extroverts introvert

So following on from my previous post, the extrovert thing. I am an extrovert, I love the company of people, as is a huge majority of the population of the world (this I gather from my own experience of the world and taking a quick glance at Wikipedia). There is a time though, when every one of us needs time alone - time to gather our thoughts, time to sit and listen to the noises that are around us without making noise of our own. I had a rough time in South Africa because I didn't get some time alone, and I like to be alone to get my head straight. I also like to be alone with my family - outside influences can be good, help us to develop - but if we never get a chance to talk about those outside influences we can never really appreciate their impact. Working at Caé Forever is a fantastic job and I love meeting people and learning from them or aiding them in some way - I think we all do. But in a job like this, when I get home in the evening I then look after my children and by the time they're in bed, there's a gaping hole in my life, a need for silence; and my beloved wife is at the end of the line too!
We need to do the most important things first and not leave them 'til last - otherwise the last things end up in a competittion of sorts - just something I am becoming aware of. Since returning from South Africa we have made our sitting room into a quiet place by removing the TV from the centre of attention and I have taken numerous runs/walks around the Island and the farm in the early hours - listening to birds sing among other things. And then I come home and I am about ready to read a short passage from the bible - my personal guide book.

I have added to the pile of TO-DO's in my life as well - I have enrolled at Birmingham Theological Seminary - the place where Tom studied. They have an online certificate available and I am really enjoying it. You can find it at www.thirdmill.org.

Otford Manor

 As for future plans -  well this weekend is our annual weekend away and we are going to Oak Hall in Otford for the first time. We will be taking about 80 people. Jolly, Edward and I are responsible for the BBQ tonight. It will be good to get out in the country and hang out with our friends.

At Café Forever things are going well, although there are always interesting stories. The other day an elderly man came into the café, and ordered some crisps - I could see he was a homeless chap, and dishevelled, seriously. I tried to get into a conversation with him but he was not able to communicate anything intelligible - kept mumbling about Hackney, 1933 and Hitler. He wandered around here during the day and by the evening he hadn't gone anywhere and I did not want him to get hurt so I called social services who called an ambulance for him.
With the arrival of the sun we have started putting tables and chairs outside in an attempt to attract passing trade - to make us more visible, and also to encourage people to stay and sit in the sun. It is a wonderful time to be in London and what a joy to have the sun back!