In 1980 I married Caroline, for better or worse. That was easy to say back then, now I have a deeper understanding of this part of the marriage vows. 12 months later Caroline gave birth to our first child, five more followed at regular intervals and the seventh arrived about 13 years ago (you work it out). I don't have the brain space to tell you all of their life stories but in summary this is the state of play at the moment.
One is married with two children, three are single mums with two children each, one is a part time dad to one child and one is a heroin addict and up to just recently the primary carer for one child. Oh yea! one more still at home with us, she's 13 going on 21 with an intelligence level that matches her attitude.
I guess we could that our plans to bring up a regular family were totally blown out of the water. We still now have times of self examination "what on earth did we do wrong?" "Could we have cared for them better?" etc etc. But, like the rest of the journey up to now we have come to see that life's curve balls (if you are American) or googlies (if you are English) have all been part of a loving fathers training programme, preparing us for a life focused on others and following Him.
Tuesday 9 March 2010
It's still swinging !
The pendulum not the sixties that is. I have vague memories of reading a book about the pendulum swinging, this is way back in the dim and distant when as a new Christian I had an enthusiasm that was both obnoxious and inspiring in an odd sort of way, well that's what folks would tell me. Anyway back then, when anyone and everyone became legitimate targets for my gospel six guns I remember reading this book that tried to explain away the excesses of various branches of the Christian Church. Basically any new movement always experiences the swing of the pendulum to both extremes before some sort of middle ground or balanced approach to matters of faith are found.
Around 2010 years ago a new movement started swinging it's pendulum, and its still swinging today.
Did the balance come? well you probably have your own take on that, from where I'm sitting I would say not.
The thing is, God entrusts us with His plan to reach into the lives of those around us, and then in His great wisdom lets us work out how to do it, while giving us little pointers along the way. I Wonder why everyone has a different little pointer, and why its the person who can shout the loudest and and who claims the biggest amount of spiritual authority who does the most pointing.
You might be thinking "that's a bit cynical" you could be right of course its hard to be totally objective after nearly thirty years in Christian ministry.
OK back on track again, it doesn't take a great mind, and mine is nothing like a great mind, to realise that we are in the presence of masses of people who have not been initiated with the peculiarities of the Christian Church let alone its excesses. Phrases like post modern or post Christendom are phrases the enlightened use in discussion and the outsider never uses full stop. So this is not a dialogue about what these two wonderful terms mean, but a gritty and real learning experience drawing on things past, things present and a quick look at things to come.
Around 2010 years ago a new movement started swinging it's pendulum, and its still swinging today.
Did the balance come? well you probably have your own take on that, from where I'm sitting I would say not.
The thing is, God entrusts us with His plan to reach into the lives of those around us, and then in His great wisdom lets us work out how to do it, while giving us little pointers along the way. I Wonder why everyone has a different little pointer, and why its the person who can shout the loudest and and who claims the biggest amount of spiritual authority who does the most pointing.
You might be thinking "that's a bit cynical" you could be right of course its hard to be totally objective after nearly thirty years in Christian ministry.
OK back on track again, it doesn't take a great mind, and mine is nothing like a great mind, to realise that we are in the presence of masses of people who have not been initiated with the peculiarities of the Christian Church let alone its excesses. Phrases like post modern or post Christendom are phrases the enlightened use in discussion and the outsider never uses full stop. So this is not a dialogue about what these two wonderful terms mean, but a gritty and real learning experience drawing on things past, things present and a quick look at things to come.
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