I have been very busy at work and dont have time to turn around and do a lot of reflection about anything. But some things have broken through the fog of busy work to inspire me.
The first is my friend Frank Hart’s thoughts on Christian worship. I am glad that I know Frank and glad that I have been under his care as he has led us in worship at Crosspoint the last couple of years or so. As he now thinks about how to deepen the Christian life of our people I am inspired by how he creates a whole world of faith where each parts links with another and unfolds the mystery of our relationship with the one true God. Solo Deo Gloria!
There is probably no connection from Christian worship to the following and yet I am not so sure. http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/09/the-150-space-camera-mit-students-beat-nasa-on-beer-money-budget/ Here is the awe-inspiring pictures taken from the edge of space for less than many of spend on a round of golf, six golf balls and two cold beers at the turn. There is a theme that runs through my posts that the observant notice. It is something along the lines of I, for one, cannot imagine how the sheer creativity of human beings is the result of a infinitesimally small chance happening in a pool of single cells millions of years ago. No way.
There is definitely no connection between all of what I have said up till now and the uniquely BBC television program “The Choir”. The past few weeks I have started to appreciate the BBC again. It definitely makes programs that no other organization would make. Sometimes that means they make opinionated drivel that makes you want to kick the TV set. Other times however what seems like a ridiculous reality TV show turns up something moving, inspiring and uplifting. http://www.garethmalone.com/index.php The presenter of “The Choir” Gareth Malone has now done several series where he takes a local group of people and turns them into some form of choral singing group. In the latest series a group from an UK housing project are taught to sing a part of a classical requiem. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b008y125 It is a shame you cant see this outside the UK because when reality TV seems uniformly focused on dragging us down to the lowest common denominator here is a fascinating piece of reality TV that seems to affirm the biblical concept that we are “one body” and built for something greater than our own appetites.
In Holland we are looking to settle in a new church and try to find a way to serve here in our new adopted country. The girls are riding their bike to school, my Dutch is improving, and Karen is now in Dutch lessons three days a week. Come see us in Leiden, Crosspoint friends can expect a warm welcome.