a blog by howard jameson @ gatheringgrace.org

Single track mind

In the log jam that is the "holding pattern" queue onto the camp site at Greenbelt.

Lots of traffic en route which meant a bit of derring do, following the Prat Nav on a single track road cross country.

Can smell the coffee in the back so am keen to get the tent up and the kettle on!

My French let me down

We ordered an Americano in a Cafe. I was expecting something hot, black and with lots of caffiene.

What I got was an Americano Maison. It was cold, red and contained lots of alcohol. It had to be drunk, none the less...

If anybody knows what an Americano Maison is I would love to know.

The last night of the world...

...well Soul Survivor anyway.

Had an awesome time. I came with a small group as a "leader" but they have been so good that it's been more like hanging with mates.

I haven't done much other than worship and read, but I've had lots of time to think (especially with 10000 wanting to stay up late and a 1000 wanting to get up early).

Looking forward to a long bath and a run (need to do that first I guess) and see the family.

I'll write more when I've caught up on some shut eye and have some chance of making sense.

Our Soul Survivor poem

We wrote it ourselves, by the way.

We queued for an hour
To get in the shower
(good job it wasn't a poo)

We also brought Holly
(she's nice, but a wally)
She's blonde so she hasn't a clue.

Alternative ending...

We also brought Holly
(she's nice, but a wally)
She's bald so she needs lots of blu
Tack

Guess the century

Have a guess when the person about whom this is written lived...

'He also went with his parents to church but did not fool around as little children tend to nor did he show a lack of respect as young boys often do.'

Leave a comment with a guess. I'll update with the century and reference when I next remember.

Summer news

I have been avoiding blogging with any serious intent due to trying to make it look as if I am on holiday.

Am reading 'The book of illusions' by Paul Auster, but am being denied much quality times with it at present.

Mowed the lawn today (hence).

Am trying to think of all the stuff I might need at Soul Survivor and then Greenbelt.

Rang my fellow-camper for GB, but he was lying in his bed during a fierce tropical storm in Mauritius. Serves him right IMHO.

Looking forward to a transport run in the Landy tomorrow.

Also the morning will be one of the first times I can recall being in situ but others are taking the service. For you information I intend to be in bed as the 10am starts, and will be working on my first Americano by the time everybody is at the altar rail (I might miss that plus or minus a couple of minutes so bear with me)

Am glad not to have much to report if I'm honest.

Total wipeout!

So not worked since Sunday, other than a few phone calls, arranged plans for Church decoration and done quite a bit of emailing, and I feel totally wiped out. I just want to sleep...

...but as ever with children (and Churches) it never quite goes that simply, does it?

Voting with our feet

We ended up in a right pickle at the Altar Rail this morning. Several have not been around for a few weeks and so had missed the announcements about Swine Flu (and the hand out I spent all that time putting together!) and our revised instructions - purely optional chalice to one side, not at the rail.

Well we were all over the place because almost everybody took wine - one or two dippers amongst us, but the vast majority took their lives in their hands and risked a bit of dodgy saliva.

Obviously the chalice to one side is meant as a precaution to one of the worst things that can happen in an Anglican Church - somebody being embarrassed.

So we revised our plan on the hoof and decided that next time we will have the chalice at the rail, but nobody need feel any pressure to have it and nobody need feel that they need to justify why they did or didn't have any.

Loved the comment at the door. "Don't know what the fuss is about - we'll all go down together".

...and I would walk 500 miles...

...although I did run the last bit.

In the last 60 minutes I successfully negotiated my 500th miles of running since records began, or more precisely August 17th last year when I bought an App for my iPhone that measured runs accurately using the GPS.

I pay public homage to my old pair of Asics that have kept me going through thick and thin, and the occasional use of my Gore-Tex running coat which left me with no excuses during the wet season that began on August 18th last year and finished just after lunch today.

Running has helped me get some perspective during the last 12 months which have been as tough as any I have had; leaving the desk behind to get oxygen in the brain and back in tune with God has saved my bacon on many occasions.