Thursday, November 06, 2003

.....................this has just come in ........ so many have ....... this is special............



Dear Pip,
one can only imagine how, if mike touched the likes of me, from a distance,
so profoundly, the unbearable suffering and pain his wife, Karla, and his
family must be hit with right now.
That night you introduced me to your circle of friends at the hotel at Greenbelt, and the
short time i spent in the company of you good folk, touched me greatly.
That Grace that shepherded me into the fold that weekend - remember the one
He went after, the stray, leaving the rest of the flock, to seek the lost
one out - thats what it felt, and still feels like.
The man gave me one of his big fat cigars
I smoked it like a sacrement.
I Talked to Karla late in to the night one of those dear evenings, everyone
else had gone to bed, she didnt know me from Adam, but we ended up praying
for each other and our loved ones. (something i can only ever remember doing
out loud in front of others twice before)
She said i was on the journey of dangerous wonder, the same road we all
travel, and occasionally we have the providence to meet with other
beautiful travellers along the path.
We talked about losing loved ones, mainly, if i remember correctly, our
dads, and i asked her if she thought someday she thought she would see them
again.
Really poignant now - it started to get real late and i guess we were in
danger of rambling off into philosophical debate about the cosmos and
physical time being different to God time, i remember her saying she
believed sometimes the veil between this world and the next, in places,
special places, becomes very thin, almost transparent, deep awareness you
are in the presence of Bigness - Dangerous Wonder in the flesh I guess.
I know what she meant i think.
Greenbelt lifts many layers of the veil, the people and spirit that are
Greenbelt help lift the layers.
Mike was the very first speaker i ever saw at greenbelt, mid eighties - i
was only there beacause Julie, my wife was working for Traidcraft and had
been the previous year and had come home raving about this that and t'other,
and the fact that Bono had been a visiting, i made sure i was there that
next year.
I wasnt there for any religious reasons, i was in a band and liked
festivals!
I had never been to a seminar, but julie said this funny guy called
yacconelli was doing a seminar and i should come along, reluctantly (i was
there for the music, man!), i did.
I am so glad i did.
Mike Yaconnelli, pip and the stinking late show Deacon Blue steve apirana
john smith martyn joseph bruce cockburn
Jesus God
Calling me back year after year
Thankyou guys one and all
Thankyou Michael for introducing me to the Kingdom
Thankyou, Pip, for introducing me to Mike.

To Mike - (Pip - do you have a forwarding email adress for Heaven???)
- I am glad i met you I will never forget you.
Your work and words live on in the people you have touched
God loves you for the ears you have opened and the hearts you have troubled
and conspired with Jesus to ruin.
And for your honesty and humility and broken-ness
Big John