the future's off-road

This picture made me laugh. A little car with its massive wheels.

A car that was made for the city, adapting to go off-road.

I think that's a bit like us these days! In terms of our basic story - structured for a 'tame' and ordered life as the people of God, but intent on discovering the wilds again, the wilds where our life's meant to be.

* * *

There have been a couple of meetings today. In amongst everything else.

There's a lot going on, and in many ways there's a feel for it being a time for getting ready. A new stage about to emerge. And we need to be ready.

Much of the morning was spent in preparation. Of one sort or another.

Figuring out what the Lord is seeking to say to us as I ponder the Bible text. And how best to get that across.

E-mailing left, right and centre in the ongoing work of admin.

Preparing some more for Saturday 7th of June when we're hosting an 'eco' event. I've a lot to do to get things ready for that. And the day's approaching fast.

And giving some thought to the meeting tonight. Preparing some papers for that.

So the morning soon went! Another half day of my life has suddenly disappeared! Scary.

Douglas was in for his lunch again. He, too, is readying himself for a further little milestone in his life.

(Apart from the fact he'll be sixty five in a few months' time!)

He's due to receive his doctorate in just a matter of weeks. A notable bit of work he's done, a thesis of massive size. I'll have to call him the Doctor soon!

We were joined at lunch by Alastair. The guy who's been helping us build a whole new database. He was in with his latest version of the thing to test it and see if it does what we want it to do.

He's a big James Taylor fan. He came in for his lunch with a T-shirt parading the name of his hero right across the front.

It made me wonder if we share (and wear) the same excitement when it comes to this guy Jesus. And just how far we'd go for him.

Alastair had taken his wife and son as far away as Glasgow to hear the man in concert. James Taylor, that is. And probably payed through the nose for their tickets as well, for all I know.

If Jesus came to Glasgow would I drop what I was doing and make sure that I was there? No matter what it cost?

Like I say, it made me think.

Getting the database up and running again is part of the way ahead. I think that Alastair's glad to be helping us out. He sees were trying to do things differently. And so what he's doing is slightly off the beaten track so far as he's concerned.

I think that's where God's taking us. Off-road a bit. Out into open country. Back to the wilds, the place we're meant to be.

I was meeting at night with some of the leaders here again. The whole congregation has to vote in a few weeks' time on changing the way we work. We had to prepare for that a bit.

In some ways it isn't really all that big a step we're hoping thus to take. In other ways it is. So it's important to try and get it right.

And think through implications. Which we were trying to do as well.

It's good, compelling stuff. It forces us back to the good old book and makes us think things through together in a way that's fresh and new.

And sometimes pretty challenging as well.

But 'off-road' living generally is. I hope we'll show we're up for it.