All that you fashion
All that you make
All that you build
All that you break
All that you measure
All that you deal
All you count on two fingers
And all that you steal
Leave it behind
You got to leave it behind
Leave it behind
You got to leave it behind

You look so beautiful
So beautiful
The spirit is in the house

Hallelujah, hallelujah
Hallelujah, hallelujah
Hallelujah, hallelujah
Hallelujah


the final lines from the U2 Concert at Slane castle filmed and released on DVD ...... the last song called, and suitable for a new year thought, ...... Walk On

"God has landed on this enemy-occupied world in human form...The perfect surrender and humiliation was undergone by Christ: perfect because He was God, surrender and humiliation because He was man."

cs lewis

this christmas story ...... it makes me think about 'why?'

God who made man, made man.
God who made time, stepped into time.

He made a step into the physical, stepping out of the wonder we have yet experience. It seems he did it to show the way.

When I did my rubber necking at the age of 21 and looked at this here Jesus, all because I met a human who was really different because the total life was 'given', I discovered through some deep inner disturbance that I wanted to be a follower. That was a big step for me. It was then. Now I realize it was even bigger. I am glad.

I find myself saying to Joan "I am happy". I have said this more times in the last six months than ever.
I am still driven and mission led.
Mission driven.
Uncomfortable and want to be.
Incomplete and want to be.
Journeying towards wholeness and want to be.

When Jesus was little there were bad things happening. There was that slaughter of all baby boys aged two and below. And then that little family became asylum seekers in another country. Displaced persons.
Part of this new way for this 21 year old some few years ago, was a deep disturbance inside about those people who are at the bottom of societies around the globe ...... often crushed under male jackboots. It seems that it is impossible to be a follower and not see humans with different eyes.

............. disturb the comfortable and comfort the disturbed.......

"I love that moment. I always take it seriously. We always make prayers at that moment. The kids are around and we have fireworks, we tie our prayers to the rockets and send them off."

-- Bono, on celebrating New Year's

The roads and church all quiet today.
It is a day of chill today. No shrill from the telephone, no tinks from the g4 inbox, no visitors yet ............ so relaxed ...... so much space and I like it all.

I know we can be self contained when things are ok inside our own unit while at the same time there are families with someone riddled with cancer. There are families suffering separation and then there is the earth quake in Iran. What a massive massive disaster that is.
I live in a London Borough with the same population as the Bam area (250k) and I shudder to think what it would do to suffer deaths of 20000, and it might be more in Iran ........ and the injury total will be ....... let wait and see and pray while skilled and unskilled labour to search and rescue.

Hope you and yours are feeling ok in the human beauty which is yours?

I thought about you yesterday-I went to see the ugly sisters!
Just a feeble joke from the recovery position.
I feel today is the first day with a bit of space.
I have just been sleeping on the settee with madame butterfly on my ipod. My favorite opera yet to see in the flesh. I sleep well with headphones and good music.

Yes we did the ballet at the Royal Opera House yesterday and wish it had been an Opera. I dozed off in the first act, may have been due to the glass of fizz enjoyed in the Champagne bar. My favorite drink ........er..... bar one. The next two acts kept me awake as I resisted the Champagne
It was an experience but a bit boring and not as good as matthew Bournes 'Nutcracker' we saw same time last year at the Sadlers. The music did not kick and the ugly sisters do not really fit well into a ballet.
and ............. think how difficult it was to fit a glass slipper on the ugly sisters or indeed anyone with ballet shoes! It would have been fun to see them dancing in glass slippers!
It was great being with the Sheilas for the second day and friends of beauty too. We hung out at Joys after eating turkey butties and the others having a cocktail while the driver suffered with mince pies only.

I did not blog on Christmas day really, and yesterday too. As you know I don't love so much the bloggers that don't touch those precious finger tips on them keys daily. Sorry for my bad attendance miss. I wont do it again .......... until I go to Brugges for the new year hey hey.

It was great to see friends over the two days ...... great and beautiful to see Charlie and Molly ........ Willie and David ....... Malcolm and Val ...... Shags and Nic..... and Gill and Steve ............ Jess and Billie ....... and not forgetting ..... the ugly sisters!

Stay beautiful
bhp

It is Christmas Day here at the Wilsons ..... does not sound a bit like 'The Osbournes'
It is night so the other three have retired to leave me and Zig to conduct the Christmas Day blog.

We have had a good evening out at friends and beautiful because of the people. Having watched the Beckhams on tape and toasted the day, we are ready for the Christmas day. It was people watching for me but business for the Sheilas.

Missing my wednesday night Gilles radio programme. It will be a 4 hour special at midnight and early morning of 31st before I can catch him. And could I do with my audio hijack working? ....... Yes I do!

Tomorrow we will arise to a light breakfast with tea. Then we will open the presents - play with my toys and then prepare for the dinner which is traditional here as elsewhere.

There will be family time and also friends time too.

I want to say thank you to so many blog readers and many others who have contributed to my life in 2003. If Christmas is about 'Love Actually' ..... you have contributed that to my life in many ways. A smile, a word, those eyes, that glance, that encouragement, that direct affirmation. Thank you for your unique way of communicating and being love ........ actually.
I am the sort of human who needs humans around. I want to give. I want, I need to, ...... to receive.
I have received already from the day some considerable blessings ..... it is true ...... in giving you receive.

Today I have been touched by a young woman who has just slipped back to hardline drugs. A Christmas Eve slip.
A youngster being kicked out of the only place he could call home.
People shaking with influencing chemicals or liquid- who have given to me from their material nothingness.
People who are 'emotionally unavailable' who still have given out to me today.
To you I thank you.

You
made by God
used by God
to bless me
Thank you.

May your Christmas be a deep journey inward.
May you jingle all the way.
May you tingle all the way.
may you receive love actually.

WELL
CHRISTMAS EVE

mild he laid his glory by

hmmm ....... if he did that ..... I believe he did ....... and we are followers ..... how do we do that?

We are worth much ... that was why he came as a babe into straw poverty (He who was rich became poor) ..... all because of my worth.
And yet we are not any more valuable than ....... look around you and the next person you see ......... we are not more valuable as he/she ...... we have no status but we are special with a special function.
love actually

so have a special christmas seasonal time and

love


bhp

-LOVE-ACTUALLY-

Christmas gift suggestions:
To your enemy, forgiveness.
To an opponent, tolerance.
To a friend, your heart.
To a customer, service.
To all, charity.
To every child, a good example.
To yourself, respect.

Oren Arnold