In The Meantime...

since it will take me a bit to formulate a proper blog I am stealing a friends (because it includes a rather funny incident from last year around this time... here's what jonny has to say about it! )

Anybody ever seen a dead cow?

This is another photo I have with memories from last summer at Capernwray. Right at the end of the summer Ray was seen with this cow, stone dead, in the front of his digger, driving round the loop while a family walk for the guests was happening. Classic.
So that evening, Andrew Wallace, Grace and a couple others went up to see this cow. I've never seen a dead cow before but it stunk! Andrew had to peel the plastic back, I couldn't go near it. We had a laugh, took some pictures and basically dishonoured the poor dead cow by having a laugh and taking photographs.
Jonathan Elvis Marie Ireland
PS-Andrew Wallace is from Northern Ireland (like me!) and one of the funniest guys I know. Grace is pretty funny too. Funny looking that is! Ohhh! I'm so funny too.

BIG question maRKS ?

Well, a lot is up in the air for me lately. I keep looking for a sign of what direction I should be heading at least and so far all I get is confliction.
Simultaneous signs that seem to lead in opposite directions. I KNOW that technicaly God can bring everything together and what presently seems to be conflicting need not be - He is God over impossibilities.
Still I just wish there were a clear sign in the sky or something. I feel like I pray and pray and get all sorts of answers all of which leave even bigger questions marks than before. I guess it's better than silence, but a whole lot more confusing.
Next week (God willing) I'll head off to the big city for a job interview. A church has asked me to come interview for the position of youth pastor there. I told them up front I wasn't even sure if that's what I wanted to do at the moment, but somehow they are still interested and want me to come by. I want to do what God wills so I'm going. I pray that after the interview it will be more clear if that's where I should be next or not... Anyway, IF you think about it, I'd love it if you'd pray for me. That would be just so nice... especially in these next few weeks.
Thanks friends and friends of friends (that are most likely family, because of Jesus)!

a life hidden in a tent

A couple of days ago a friend from church had this lovely little baby girl almost a month early... so there was none of the impatient waiting close to the end involved. Earlier that day they were at our house having a chat with my elder sister and that night she delivered their daughter. What just amazes me every time is how the space of a day changes your life so drastically. Just that day, a man we have known since I was a baby passed away, his funeral was today. His life will never be the same. In a good way :D,
One life, I have just met, she was hidden from view; although no less alive the day before birth than the day after. The other one has since left the tent/body he was dwelling in and is now more alive than he had been while here, although I can no longer see him he is in fact more alive today than he was the day before.
Fascinating don't you think.

At the funeral today, the pastor was talking about our body being a tent, it is imperfect, and it is only temporary. That instilled in me so much hope. I started thinking about all this mess with whatever is causing me pain - that obviously isn't my appendix! And I thought about all those little aches and pains you can feel (...after bowling, which we did last night) - and then about how quickly a body heals and how much it can stand up against. I got really excited (in this funeral, hahaha) to think that if this is the temporary body, the shelter not built to last. That although knit together by God in the womb, is not anything close to what he has been preparing for me in heaven. Well that's just incredible don't you think.
Also, just as I was thinking about writing this blog, that verse came to mind (that I haven't looked up, and don't know off the top of my head where it is).
Our life is hidden with Christ in God!! It reminded me how this baby was hidden. Her life was there but hidden... and the real living begins outside the womb.
Right now my life is hidden with Christ in God. I am living, definitely - but this life compared to the one lived in heaven when I shed this "tent" (maybe almost like a womb)is not really living. There is so much I want to say, but if I make this too long absolutely no one will read it, and then there would be no discussion. Discussion is essential, so I can keep learning so...
The End :D