mosaics

Over the last term the scouts have been making their own mosaic pictures from little squares of coloured glass. not all were into it not all enjoyed it but tonight those who wanted to were able to put the finishing touches to theirs.

I helped one young scout who was making his name. to see his picture come alive was great to be part of.

mosaics little tiles making up a bigger picture when your close up all you see are the small squares or whatever shape they have been cut into to fit. but step back step away and look and it opens up a whole new view.

thats why we need others around us on our journey through life sometimes we can all get caught up in such a narrow view we fail to see the beauty of whats opening up before us. as the old saying goes " can't see the wood for the trees''

how we lead others to see the beauty in themselves or maybe how we are led to see it in ourselves need to be done with wisdom and gentleness. coming alongside spending investing time in someone or even a place.

again i'm back to what if what if the body of christ saw past the car the clothes the smell the hurt the money and saw the precious creation that dwells within and see with the eyes of the master what would that do to my patch - your patch vauxhall, lambeth the towns and villages where you live.. for the people you walk past picking up the pace as you do..

egyphoto

12.7/1

That's the ratio of people per vacancies in Lambeth My current patch falls in to the borough of lambeth (read here)

Region       Unfilled Vacancies    Total Jobseeker's              Ratio
                                                         allowance Claimants  
Lambeth              932                       11.799                           12.7

it put's us in the top 40 of the table for the worst place to find a job in the country London as a whole tops the list at almost double the national average

Region       Unfilled Vacancies     Total Jobseeker's               Ratio

                                                         allowance Claimants    

London              22,401                     226,182                        10.1

it's hard reading and with the population of lambeth being one of the highest in density in the country  and the council looking at selling more land for housing things set to look to continuing to be as hard. Much of the housing many of those in the community i work with would only dream of owning.

I joked today with a friend who had to find a home in the area when her husband relocated here just after I did they have two small children and that the price for my new house to rent in leicester was really expensive we both laughed as she knew I was on a wind up. My two bed house with a garden frount and back two big bedrooms is cheaper per month than the council rented flats in my block..  And is for many of the places to rent a short walk away the same as you will pay a week.

I do wonder what will be the outcome for this patch over the next few years and for those who I have come to know. Some of whom I know work two jobs to make ends meet.....

fete

I like walking round village fetes and visiting them... well yesterday I was on the other side and was one of a team of helpers to run the north lambeth parish fete... Theres not many parishes that would get such a fantastic place to put up the tea tent than we do here.. the gardens of lambeth palace....

it did start with a bit of er well a possible problem as the team rector and two or the vicars were pulled over as they had ran out of room in the car and two other helpers had jumped in the very large trailer for the short trip between the church hall and the parish..  not long after leaving they were pulled over by a police van and 8 officers got out... and had a bit of a surprise to find it was vicars they had just stopped..

we found out this little tail during the sermon today from one of the guilty party :).......

it was a good day and the rain held off lots of visitors and conversations were had...

and the guides smoothys went down a real treat and used guide made electric to power the blender

and the scouts did well on there hoopla game

and the spot the real wine

Smooooth

I love smoothies and a favourite place of mine is a little kiosk on the south bank just past lambeth bridge. I didn't know that tonight the Guides were going to be making them either was very funny watching and yeah the leader got to join in and make them too :)....

But why do I write about smoothies.. well I was out today with a friend and walk past a bookshop and book really caught my eye.  

So I picked up a copy. The recipes look really good and easy to make one or too will be nice on a could winter night I'm sure... 

What I would really like to do is to do what I've come to call prophetic eating a term I picked up with a church planting team in manchester when I did a placement with them. It's not just about eating heathy much more than that.... There is that in there too...  This isn't something new in my thinking I did my BA dissertation on the use of table fellowship in church planting.  

This isn't new thinking in the Old Testament food plays a important part in the life of Israel and in the life of the people of that time to share a meal and then back stab the person was not taken lightly.  

There is one story that really stands out though that is the story of daniel who taken in captivity refuses to eat the fine food of the King and asks the official in charge of them instead that he and his friends eat vegetables and water the the official is scared that if these four are not in the same health as the others in his charge then the King would be angry at him.. after a discussion they were given water and vegetables and after a short time they were fitter than those who ate the Kings rations..( Read here) God blessed them.

What if we,not necessarily eat a vegetarian diet but ate in a way that is prophetically healthy both in the way of budget and balanced eating in fellowship.

It's something that I would like to do with a group of young people children or those who come to be part of a meal. 

at a kids club/youth club to give not fizzy drinks or cordial but a fresh healthy drink that they help to make.. may be even grow some of the ingredients in a edible garden... maybe only the size of a window box but something they can aim to grow and be introduced to.

what message would this give to those around us around me... It's not a easy thing to do I know how bad  I am for not wanting to cook when I live alone... But it's not the point to put it into place when know one is here for supper is the challenge that this isn't just what is done for others but is a way of life.

 I began thinking again about this way of eating when on sunday we had a feast with the children at junior church there at the international congregation in Turku (godlyplay) the parents sent a very different set of foods than I would have expected here in the UK. They sent fresh fruits, peas in the pod, bread sticks there wasn't a sticky cake or crisps  or chocolate in sight. and not a single complaint from the children in fact they loved it.. (see a photo and more here)

It's not about dieting or watching watch we eat but about choosing to bring balance. It's about healthy choices ( I'm a chocoholic and so I'm talking to myself here too) and giving time to meals and not using them just as fuel-stops almost in the style of formula 1 pitstop. 

A week away

I got back from a week in Turku last night and had a really wonderful time though the weather didn't want to co-operate with our plans at times we just changed things slightly.. It was great to be back in the city that  is the former capital of Finland and as a joke I heard in December said " Turku was the capital of Finland while Helsinki was still just six mud huts " theres no love lost between the two cities.

On one day when the weather did behave we walked along the river aura and past the tall ships mored there..

I love tall ships and it was great to see two in a few yards. I really wanted to be in Turku this august as the tall ships race is coming again as part of the european capital of culture events..  

a bit further along the river is the sigyn which is the last wooden bargue in the world and she's a beauty though in this you can't quite see that 

We didn't get to sail on one of these but did go on the isabella overnight with viking line through the Finish archipelago to Sweden and had a wonderful breakfast as well left sweden and out to sea. 

Fledglings

Today the service was lead by the young people...

For me it was both joy and sadness... I've called the small group who come and share fellowship at the film and food night my boys... I've seen the grow so much over the last 18 months and they are a real privilege to have journeyed with.

There was the sense of fledging as one of my boys gave the message. His friends called him "pastor " as a joke, yet this young man brought a message that so many of us "older" members of the body of christ miss.. He spoke about unity... the unity of the Spirit... that the Holy Spirit did not come to divided but unit the believers though they were from many backgrounds just like us meeting today are not divided because of the differences but united by the Spirit.

today he fledged the nest and its wonderful to see him wondering and questioning in his faith and sharing those gifts with the church.  my prayer is that he will continue to walk in the light listening to the Spirit and sharing that with the church.

The rest of the youth yet again to did wonderfully today they were themselves no masks when they were up front just themselves and that was great too... they didn't pretend it was real and from the heart.. I loved the end of the service as one of the younger youth said the closing prayer with me just three lines but very special.

127 hours

I'd heard a lot about this film and last night I ordered it pay per view as there was nothing on tv.. The film is a true story of Aron Lee Ralston. In May 2003  while canyoneering in Utah, he was in a freak accident after 127hours trapped he choose to amputate his right arm with a dull knife in order to free himself from a boulder in order to save his life. He writes about his experience in between a rock and a hard place

Ralston did most of his adventures alone and on the day he left had told no one where he would be going and left no note.. 

The question that ran through the film for me after the boulder fell trapping him was how far are you willing to save life.. 

How far are we willing to go to save life... to go out into our patches to bring the message of life. 

What am I willing to give up how far am I willing to go for the gospel message. It interesting that Jesus himself 

Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

 RalstonComments on his experience during one of his speaking engagements 

“I didn’t lose something that day. I am here to show you that, yes, I left my hand behind in that canyon, but I gained my life back. I regained the beauty, the joy, the vibrancy and the euphoria of being alive.”

What do we find when were loose our lives into Christ... Life life in all its fulness..

How far are we willing to go to save life to introduce those in our patches the ONE who is able to bring life life that is real that is true that as ralston suggests who is the one who gives us the ability to regain "the beauty, the joy, the vibrancy and the euphoria of being alive.”

the weeks gone by

I haven't blogged much this week.. thats because yet again I've been away seems to be that my patch is travelling again more. And not just a physical thing but that's another story..... This time it wasn't a trip to my new home or off on a camp... my patch was in my patch but at another patch... bit confusing I was still in London still in lambeth but spent most of the week at the Salvation Army's territorial HQ based near  the elephant and castle.. 


The course was about Godly Play (GP).. my friend over at easterkindofway says a lot about Godly Play and has been doing it for a while and Seethroughfaith helps.

I have to admit to start out I was sceptical about a lot of it and told the leaders of the course that.. it was a good way to start maybe not but it was a very honest and open way to start. And the first day found it hard to really engage with what was being taught at times especially having the space in the response time ... I think in part as there was just too much quiet and silence for me. 


I'm used to doing things very creative and very interactive when I get the chance. At first found that the sacred stories those stories like noah, exodus really hard to get into it felt like I was just watching what was taking place. But day two changed things when we were introduced to and started telling the parables. 


It wasn't until I got to play that I really got what GP is... during the course which was training for storytellers I did the parable of the sower I really enjoyed playing with the birds as they flew down to eat the seed on the path giving them each characters of their own 

This is from the finish Godly play site my little birds were painted bright colours and while preparing spent a long time playing with the birds given them names 

A wonderful part is the wonder time after or as part of the story I wonder if the birds had names I wonder which you like best I wonder if the famer was sad to see the birds eat the seed I wonder if the birds where happy to see the farmer I wonder who the farmer is our wonder what the harvest is 

its space where no answer is right non is wrong... its a safe space to wonder to wander through bible 

One of my favourite parts of the week was a line from the Holy family story 

The word became a wordless child 

that phrase I loved and it just summed up what took place when Jesus came to earth so simply but so profoundly...

By wednesday evening it was sad to have to finish the course 

It was a fun few days very tiering but fun and there are bits that I just aren't me  or I don't get that were challenging  thats ok too... there was a great encouragement also as I saw some of the principle and ideas I try to work by were modelled here.


I found too some of the confidence that had been stollen from me over the past few months while sitting there in a small group just two others practicing and they read the script words and actions and I played it out..  and then in the larger group the story was mine 


I get to help at a GP next week at a friends church I'm really looking forward to that  and see for the first time how children engage and respond through GP and how they have so much to teach us through wondering 

new home

I'm not much for silence and stillness.. But spending the time in my new home with no internet no tv in fact it was very like being on camp. When I got there late Thursday night all I had was what was in my rucksack and my camp bed. I did have my ipod and had some music but forgot the attachment for the speakers so only had my headphones...

 I actually enjoyed it much more than I thought I think it was in part as I was cleaning and preparing my new home... the house had been empty for a while and so had too gather all my strength and courage to clean as there was a spider convention taking place welcome in the garden but not in my home. so this is my little house 

relocating is never a easy thing but moving from a furnished to unfurnished place in a different part of the country is even more fun... but it's gradually coming together and friends and family are lending a hand... Thanks to one friend I have a convection oven come microwave ( if you know how to work one please leave a comment on how as I have know idea) Bedside tables arrive soon as does a cabinet for the living room and I have a dinning table and chairs... and my new fridge-freezer arrived on friday morning... things are slowly coming together...

spider free livingroom :)

repotting underway

I'm getting to know St. Pancras station and Leicester station really well now. Though I'm not so sure right now about the statement they make on the how to get to St P  part of the website 

St Pancras International is one of the easiest stations to get to in central London with direct links to 6 underground lines, mainline trains, cycle parking facilities and an on-site multi storey car park. Please refer to the links on the right hand side for more detailed information on how to reach us by your chosen method of transport.

Hmmm only if they work together sometimes it feels like the many parts of transport for London (tfl) are working like magnets and repel each other.........

Each time I've gone recently something has gone wrong almost missing the train 3 times and missing it once  due to problems with the tube. The last time when I did miss the train I'd left early very early with the plan of going for coffee. My train was at 9:15am and at 8:35 was still in vauxhall as the victoria line was down.. Hopefully nothing will go wrong tonight though I'm not 100% sure how to get to the bus stop I need to get to my new home :S oh well theres always a taxi :)

No room for books

I picked up a copy of the evening standard last night but it is only today at breakfast that I gave it more than a quick glance and the story as I read was shocking about how many children in London don't have books at home... the standard opened the article that will run for the next four days of a teacher who asked the class to bring in a book from home they like on child brought in a catalogue for a major retailer it was the only book in the house. A house without a book is really hard to imagine. And really sad to read that there are so many children growing up not reading not owning a book 

New research, obtained exclusively by the Standard, reveals that one in three children does not have a book of their own at home. By contrast, a separate survey shows 85 per cent of London children own a computer games console (full article here)

I wonder how many in my patch here in vauxhall this effects how many in my new patch that this will effect in Leicester

A  question is forming it's rough not there yet fully how do we respond as a church to this situation. In our call to be a light in the community around us. How can we respond to situation like this... Books are expensive to buy new. But there are many places where they can be picked up at a reasonable price. I recently went into a charity shop and picked up 3 of books in good condition of a well known series for £6. When libraries are closing or like the family in the article never get to go it's always "another time"

Aurella is a captivating young girl, but no amount of charm has been able to persuade her mother to take her to the library. "We pass the library on the bus," she says, "and I always ask, 'Mum, can we go?' but mum says, "Maybe tomorrow, Aurella."

What is our response have a lending library as part of the church... how about a children's book-crossing group or have a shelf in the corner of the church where books can be put and swopped or book-crossed. Have a reading club as part of the church activities get involved with the local schools to go in and read with children. 

up from downe

Over the bank holiday weekend I was away with the 75th Lambeth scouts/cubs. It different a little from normal camp as we took the scouts/cubs families too... it was a great chance to get to know parents better and the younger brothers and sister everyone joined in with chores and the activities that were available... bouncy castles.. grass sledging... circus skills.. crafts a talent show silent disco yep you read that right a silent disco which was fun everyone has headphones on and can chose between tracks was very funny to watch....  and of course you can't have a scout camp without a campfire. It was tinged with a little sadness as it will be my last camp with the 75th though I do have a invite to come back and help i hope I get the chance.. what I really love about the scouts is the opening up of activities that many of the youngsters would not normally get to do.. like the wood, craft pioneering skills learning to cook on open fires.. its the things that often I've taken for granted we had a coal fire at home and would help to light it collect sticks for kindling and chopping the wood to smaller sizes. its the seeing the expressions that come when they get the fire lit or cook the meal get the bridge built getting cold wet and sleep deprived is worth it just for that... 

theres more photos over on my photo blog...

one of the cubs learns to stilt walk

 One of the mums in deep concentration

 The district commissioner try's a unicycle( with much encouragement from a group of onlookers - ok so we were all in fits of laughter)

 Sparky goes grass sledging

The DC gets covered in food (akela in the making ) at the talent show 

all in all though a little cold at night good fun was had by all and the best bit the cubs feel asleep in the car on the way up from downe 

Down to Downe

I'm off to Downe today for the weekend it's family camp for the scouts.. This is what they have to say about the place

Downe

"A beautiful, wooded 86-acre site situated close to Biggin Hill in rural Kent, only 16 miles from the centre of London. Downe Scout Activity Centre has welcomed young people from all walks of life and corners of the world for almost 80 years."


I was there last year for a weekend too and it rained and er rained and rained a bit more.. I was wondering if the pioneering skills should have been building arks from rope and logs.... and this time well after yesterday and the thunder and rain we had here  so bad that heathrow had to stop planes landing and taking off for three hours...I'm hopeing that the tents that were put up earlier in the week are all still standing.

Family camp is a bit different from normal as the cubs and scouts mums,dads, granny's granddads brothers and sister can come along and join in too..

all can come even those few who will come and not have anyone with them and be in tents with their friends

I've not done a camp like this before so and looking forward to seeing how you run this type of camp...

Post again after hopefuly a not too wet and windy weekend

Comment response

Recently (see Here) I posted about going on retreat I wrote this "I do struggle with them and more often found them a waste of time" a comment left under the post asked this 

I would be interested in
 a) why and b) what kind of retreats you've actually been on.

So let me try to answer these I probably wont answer in full so I guess that is what the comment tab is for

I've been on a few retreats mostly either day retreats/ quiet days  or over a weekend that were part of work/college and were compulsory attendance. The have all been organised ones and led by people who have led many and have a particular way of leading. Quiet days, some with teaching most of them though find me sat at a table or in a group listening to a speaker talk for most of the day and then we have a few moments of reflection. I find myself daydreaming and finding more and more elaborate ways of escaping the day or weekend. 

I've also been on a couple that I have found good, but these where more of team away day and we walked the seven sisters and had a picnic and then stopped off for a pub supper that day we just hung out together work talk was banned another was getting together for a morning and each taking a song that meant something then having lunch together. both of these I really enjoyed they were loosely organised we knew where we had to be and what to bring but apart from that it was just time away from work. 

The worst one was going away for 3 days this was the one that truly put me off and confirmed for me what a waste of time they were for me. we arrived on the friday evening and had our rooms allocated we had a few moments to settle in then it was supper after supper all our gadgets were " confiscated" until the sunday evening before we left. everything watches, travel clocks, MP3 players mobile phones, Games, everything had to be given in and then it was prayers and silence. I'd kept back my game so I had something and to use in the night, but I had to hand it in too when the person I was with got cross I hadn't. To make matters worse I was in a room with a much much older women who wanted the lights out so there I was alone in the dark awake for all most all the night I was just about asleep when she woke and the lights went on. The next day we sat inside and listened to talk after talk on different things and discussed them in our groups all I wanted to do was be out in the wonderful gardens and by the river that as near by. By the end of that second day I had truly had enough and turned off and tuned out for the rest of my time. I did manage to escape that evening and on the sunday morning. I felt like a caged animal just giving up. we also had a time when we had to go and spend with the chaplain for the weekend which you were told when to go. It was like being told you have a tutorial and thats that. 

That has been how many retreat days or weekends have been extremely tight on time and trying to pack as much as possible in in a short time. Organised with no room to be really me, to wander off/ find space and time out to think on or bin things. No time for me to actually engage with being there. 

The cadged feeling trapped inside all day and being talked at isn't away for me to engage with being away or with God and others. 

Being in a lecture style environment I go into that style of thinking and being, taking notes and trying to concentrate takes a lot of energy and focus. Another side of many of the retreats has been being told when I was to go and see the chaplain. I do not find it easy to just go and talk to someone because I've been expected to. There are very few people who have that place of being where instantly there is a connection more often relationship and trust has to be built and earned before real sharing can begin. 

One style I did find was Good was being on Iona though it was work and I was in work mode for much of the time it parish pilgrimage where I was Co leader.It would be somewhere I would return to it was a style of retreat I could take to and did take to.... the format for the day was simple space and thought came together. We slept in dorms with people from around the world we ate together 3 times a day. We had chores todo together and morning and evening prayer. During the day there were activities or focused times you could join if you wanted to. There were no demands apart from you be at meals, but most of all there was space...there was space time to wander the island or go sit in one of the churches go for coffee to the beach. Time to meet with God just be 

I'm not sure I fully answer the questions but its a start I'm sure...

no more heroes any more

This was one of the headlines on the news feed of one of my e-mail accounts today. To be honest seeing that title was really very sad " no more heroes any more'' Heros where there when I was a kid I know I had a few Terry Butcher and Stuart Pearce, Edmond Hillary, Jonathan Edwards (the triple jumper), George Mallory and Andrew Irvine and of course The Doctor ... But really no more heroes any more thats a scary thought. 

There were others too, if you look back in history just a few years the answer would be  the local police officer, fireman or teacher for some it would be a train driver, a capt of a plane or ship. Maybe the likes of, Amelia Earhart, Martin Luther King,

 Neil Armstrong or Pele, Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, JESUS?

There was a song that speaks of this wanting a hero The world is looking for a hero  the opening verse 

Hillary

The world is looking for a hero. We know the greatest one of all. The mighty ruler of the nations King of kings and Lord of lords. Who took the nature of a servant. And gave his life to save us all

The news feed was pointing to the fall of yet another fallen hero who it has been claimed had been unfaithful to his family. It's coursed a great deal of interest in the UK in the media and in other places. What has really come to surprise is how the UK has respond to the claims and to the life of a hero. It wasn't all that long ago when the National team coach striped a player of the captains role due to his unfaithfulness.. It seems that though as a country we accept a lot of things there is still something very distasteful in being deemed unfaithful.

Are there really no more heros any more? what does that mean then for the patches we live in? for the young lives that are in those patches. Who are the young lives looking up to if there are no more heros the villains? those who will lead them in the wrong directions?

It is a hard question but one we need to answer and not just in light of the title of the new link. It's a serious question for all of us as potential Heros rolemodles mentors, whether we think we are or not.. what way of life do we by our actions and words show to others does public and private show the same thing.


we all look for heros in some way, a rolemodel, mentor. Not to be like them a carbon copy as it where but a person that inspires us by there life and action. Paul in new testament urges people to follow his example in life as he tried to live a life that reflected Jesus...


Can I can we do the same, if not what needs to change for us to reflect the life of Jesus and point others to him. To a hero that won't fall that is never unfaithful...


The Lord Almighty is our hero
He breaks the stranglehold of sin
Through Jesus' love we fear no evil
Pow'rs of darkness flee from him
His light will shine in ev'ry nation
A sword of justice he will bring

Meerkat or Opera

Meerkat or Opera 

That was the question at the start of one of the best sermons I’ve heard for a while on Sunday.

I was at Westminster Central Hall (photo here) for the Gathering: ‘Opera and Oratorios’. We heard Haydn, Handle, Mozart and Fauré

It may come as a surprise to some who know me well that actually I love Opera and classical music I’m not one for Boom, Boom, Boom. Though I do like a wide range of Music. It was wonderful evening with Hymns peppered in along side Interviews (testimony) with members of the choir. 

So back to the sermon Rev Martin Turner was doing the concluding words to the evening he went on to talk about how the opera singer ad is for go compare

and the song says about saving money ( which he sung to us.. I use the word sung lightly but the bible does say about joyful noises so I guess God was smiling). The light heart of the opening was brought to a much more meaningful and deeper level and the actual impact that ‘Go Compare’ can have on our lives.

  

He went on to speak about how if we try to go compare,

With God then you wont save anything with Christ. For following Christ

  

It will cost you

  

It cost God

The only way you save is by choosing Jesus and it is his saving grace.

He challenged at the end if you have stepped away from a living relationship with Father Son and Holy Spirit then go, go compare your life now and when you were close to God and choose HIM again.

And the challenge for those if you never had the relationship with God then go compare the life that he is offering and the promises He gives and choose HIM

  

I Haven’t done Martin justice here… but I hope the challenge and meaning hasn’t been lost 

Boys

I had to laugh tonight, the boys were round to watch a movie and a meal.. they've had a rough week it's exam time two doing  their leaving exams and one his A levels.  We had gooey BBQ food and cola. the funniest thing was my bears on top of the sofas I have bears a dog and a mouse I had to go upstairs and get another one these guys fight and then sit and hold them while watching the film.


when we first started to meet 18months ago they would come in and sit still quiet be so polite ask if they could leave the room...


now well they steal the bears walk in and out and treat here as home... they are still so polite :)


I love too that they tell me what they want recently we had tortillas for one of the boys it was their first time and had so much fun trying to make them. I asked before they went what things they would like the next time we meet the answer from this boy those things again :) 


so the next time we meet during the school holidays when they're coming over for a film marathon. where gonna make food together not sure what my kitchen will make of it but I'm sure it will be fun 

I don't care

I don't really I don't No you may not get it but I don't care.... I don't care I'm not trying to be a wind up merchant honest but thats how I really do feel... I DON'T CARE. I don't care what colour the toilet role is, I don't care if there's rubbish in the car park, I don't care who left the lights on, I don't care that something normally done in the morning was done in the afternoon. I don't care that someone sat in "YOUR" seat... I really don't care

I do care that you walked past and din't pick the rubbish up, I do care the lights were left on and you saw and did nothing. I care that there is toilet role. and I care that the job got done. I do care that a stranger came in today I care about how the stranger was made to feel... 

what do we spend out time caring about people about how we look after those in our patches a friend posted this first thing this morning 

URGENT! i have just received a Phone call to tell me that there is a family in Brid who have lost all their possessions in a house fire, they are insured so they will get most of it back but they have a 4 year old little girl who needs clothes and toys..... If you can help please drop anything you have off at Emmanuel church or my house and we will get it to the family ASAP!

thank you

I do care about how we respond to those around us!!!! 

Filled with compassion

I'm preaching tomorrow on marks account of the feeding of the four thousand- and was looking for a illustration about compassion. The point being Jesus' being extended to us to be his hands and feet this story stopped me in my tracks. 

a song that really hit me as a young christian was by noal richards 

Filled with compassion

Filled with compassion
For all creation
Jesus came into a world that was lost
There was but one way
That He could save us
Only through suffering death on a cross

God You are waiting,
Your heart is breaking
For all the people who live on the earth
Stir us to action,
Filled with Your passion
For all the people who live on the earth

Great is Your passion
For all the people
Living and dying without knowing You
Having no saviour
They're lost forever
If we don't speak out and lead them to You

From every nation
We shall be gathered
Millions redeemed shall be Jesus' reward
Then He will turn and say to His Father
"Truly my suffering was worth it all"

what really has surprised and in a sad way was the amount of sites that say they have sermon illustrations that have nothing under compassion as a link in fact looking at there sites there isn't even a tag marked compassion. 

One day a woman was walking down the street when she spied a beggar sitting on the corner. The man was elderly, unshaven, and ragged. As he sat there, pedestrians walked by him giving him dirty looks They clearly wanted nothing to do with him because of who he was -- a dirty, homeless man. But when she saw him, the woman was moved to compassion.

It was very cold that day and the man had his tattered coat -- more like an old suit coat rather than a warm coat -- wrapped around him. She stopped and looked down. "Sir?" she asked. "Are you all right?"

The man slowly looked up. This was a woman clearly accustomed to the finer things of life. Her coat was new. She looked like that she had never missed a meal in her life. His first thought was that she wanted to make fun ofchim, like so many others had done before. "Leave me alone," he growled.

To his amazement, the woman continued standing. She was smiling, her even white teeth displayed in dazzling rows. "Are you hungry?" she asked.

"No," he answered sarcastically. "I've just come from dining with the president. Now go away."

The woman's smile became even broader. Suddenly the man felt a gentle hand under his arm. "What are you doing, lady?" the man asked angrily. "I said to leave me alone."

Just then a policeman came up. "Is there any problem, ma'am?" he asked.

"No problem here, officer," the woman answered. "I'm just trying to get this man to his feet. Will you help me?"

The officer scratched his head. "That's old Jack. He's been a fixture around here for a couple of years. What do you want with him?"

"See that cafeteria over there?" she asked. "I'm going to get him something to eat and get him out of the cold for awhile."

"Are you crazy, lady?" the homeless man resisted. "I don't want to go in there!" Then he felt strong hands grab his other arm and lift him up. "Let me go, officer. I didn't do anything."

"This is a good deal for you, Jack," the officer answered. "Don't blow it."

Finally, and with some difficulty, the woman and the police officer got Jack into the cafeteria and sat him at a table in a remote corner. It was the middle of the morning, so most of the breakfast crowd had already left and the lunch bunch had not yet arrived. The manager strode across the cafeteria and stood by the table. "What's going on here, officer?" he asked. "What is all this. Is this man in trouble?"

"This lady brought this man in here to be fed," the policeman answered.

"Not in here!" the manager replied angrily. "Having a person like that here is bad for business."

Old Jack smiled a toothless grin. "See, lady. I told you so. Now if you'll let me go. I didn't want to come here in the first place."

The woman turned to the cafeteria manager and smiled. "Sir, are you familiar with Eddy and Associates, the banking firm down the street?"

"Of course I am," the manager answered impatiently. "They hold their weekly meetings in one of my banquet rooms."

"And do you make a goodly amount of money providing food at these weekly meetings?"

"What business is that of yours?"

"I, sir, am Penelope Eddy, president and CEO of the company."

"Oh."

The woman smiled again. "I thought that might make a difference." She glanced at the cop who was busy stifling a giggle. "Would you like to join us in a cup of coffee and a meal, officer?"

"No thanks, ma'am," the officer replied. "I'm on duty."

"Then, perhaps, a cup of coffee to go?"

"Yes, ma'am. That would be very nice."

The cafeteria manager turned on his heel. "I'll get your coffee for you right away, officer."

The officer watched him walk away. "You certainly put him in his place," he said.

"That was not my intent. Believe it or not, I have a reason for all this." She sat down at the table across from her amazed dinner guest. She stared at him intently. "Jack, do you remember me?"

Old Jack searched her face with his old, rheumy eyes "I think so -- I mean you do look familiar."

"I'm a little older perhaps," she said. "Maybe I've even filled out more than in my younger days when you worked here, and I came through that very door, cold and hungry."

"Ma'am?" the officer said questioningly. He couldn't believe that such a magnificently turned out woman could ever have been hungry.

"I was just out of college," the woman began. "I had come to the city looking for a job, but I couldn't find anything. Finally I was down to my last few cents and had been kicked out of my apartment. I walked the streets for days. It was February and I was cold and nearly starving. I saw this place and walked in on the off chance that I could get something to eat."

Jack lit up with a smile. "Now I remember," he said. "I was behind the serving counter. You came up and asked me if you could work for something to eat. I said that it was against company policy."

"I know," the woman continued. "Then you made me the biggest roast beef sandwich that I had ever seen, gave me a cup of coffee, and told me to go over to a corner table and enjoy it. I was afraid that you would get into trouble. Then, when I looked over, I saw you put the price of my food in the cash register. I knew then that everything would be all right."

"So you started your own business?" Old Jack said.

"I got a job that very afternoon. I worked my way up. Eventually I started my own business that, with the help of God, prospered." She opened her purse and pulled out a business card. "When you are finished here, I want you to pay a visit to a Mr. Lyons. He's the personnel director of my company. I'll go talk to him now and I'm certain he'll find something for you to do around the office." She smiled. "I think he might even find the funds to give you a little advance so that you can buy some clothes and get a place to live until you get on your feet. And if you ever need anything, my door is always opened to you."

There were tears in the old man's eyes. "How can I ever thank you?" he said.

"Don't thank me," the woman answered. "To God goes the glory. Thank Jesus. He led me to you."

if we are not touching Jesus feeling being moved by his compassion then are we walking with him. Are we willing to be open to be his hands and feet to sit with the unlovable to sit with the teenage alcoholic or the older person who's given up.. to be Jesus with skin on.. to be there to hold back the hair of a person being sick as they have been out all night. To fall into bed shattered and do it all again. 

news flash thats what we are called to do.

it's not about putting money in the pot outs side the station or supporting via direct-debit that helps  but actively getting involved.....