Permission received

I’m [ we’re -  Fran & I ] now back from California.

It has been an amazing time for both of us. As you’ve probably read in the previous posts, Chris & Julia Cecil blessed us by being so open and trusting, taking us into their home, generously providing food, advice, fellowship, space and time for discovery.
Thankfully Fran was able to strike up an instantly deep friendship with Andrea [ the Cecil’s daughter ] because I spent most of my time reading, praying and asking lots of questions ….. so I wasn’t too much company for the lass!

The two parts to the Permission School were very challenging and stimulating. Essentially, Gary has poured his life experience as a minister and leader into a fresh view on church, fellowship, ministry and outreach [ especially the gifts ] with the sole purpose of enabling every believer to not only recognise their own and other’s giftings and then to operate in and facilitate those gifts at a personal and practical community level. His view of the gifts is classic and yet appears to be from just a bit further round the mountain so that you see some extra facets.

Permission means that for him and 3rd Day, a 24:7 lifestyle &  church is participatory for as many as possible, not a spectatorial event. We are ALL called, and as the Word says it is supposed to be a priesthood of all believers. What is needed therefore is a major attitudinal shift for most of us to actually do what is required of us. But that doing must spring from a deeper being through spending much more quality time in the secret place with Him. Gary stresses that every one should have a secret place where they make time and space for relationship with the Lord.

“It’s not Rocket Science!” he says time after time -  and he’s right.

3rd Day ‘doesn’t throw the baby out with the bathwater’, Gary is strong on confession,  repentance, living close and free with the Lord.

“The greatest work of God is the CROSS + Nothing!”
“God is a motive blesser!”
“We don’t need ‘Drive By Evangelism’ we need relationship…”

By his own admission, he’s a  soundbite guy because it gets the point across quickly and effectively. I loved it all. You get a lot of quality information with this man.

I also received the materials for Parts II and III and was able to spend a great deal of time during the week reading & praying over it all. I met with Gary on Sunday and we shared  so much in that time. Thanks for all that encouragement Gary!

If all the above has been a bit garbled to you it’s probably because I’m still jetlagged & excited. If you’re interested just pick up on the Third Day link, go to Permission Schools and read the recommended literature. I did and I’m glad to have done so.

Why don’t you invest some time and heart in exploring the last thing that really caught your attention during a sermon/conference/meeting/magazine/GodTv slot etc etc etc.

I’ll probably be putting some more cogitations up soon when I’ve had time to chew over what I’ve brought home.
For now -  the computer keyboard and cress is more real than ever!

Zoo Time!

Hi!

It’s 7 mins past six in the evening, Monday 17th. Fran has been dropped off
at Andrea’s house. They’ve hit it off -  both being feisty females!
Today we had a late start, every one a bit tired after yesterday’s dashing
about. So about 11 this morning we left the house, in beteween the phone
ringing off the hook – just like old times! We went to a breakfast place and
had pancakes, maple syrup and bacon and eggs and coffee and hash browns.
MMMmmmmMmMM!
Then it was off to the zoo!
Chris & Julia are zoo members having passes to get in when they want and
also have some visitor passes so Fran and I got in free!

San Diego zoo is really quite spectacular. Chris had warned me about the
award winning landscaping but it was far better than I thought it would be.
Amazingly clean, beautifully laid it with loads of shady walkways and vista
spots for viewing the animals, and the animals all seemed in really good
condition. Some zoos I’ve been to have had rather motheaten
exhibits/residents but not here. When we get to the big animals like the
hippos, rhinos, elephants, polar bears, big cats they are all really well
tended in big enclosures. First time in my life I ever saw a hippo swimming
[  HUGE glass sided tank ] then saw two hippos fighting underwater. Ugly
stuff  but thankfully no damage done.

Just driving around here is pretty. The place is packed with such a lot of
flora from palm trees [ cf Hollywood Boulevard ] to cacti and succulents and
everything in between. It’s a desert type of climate with low humidity but
everything is still so green.
Yesterday we were taken to the surfer paradise of  La Jolla, multi million $
homes, gorgeous views. Today driving through ordinary suburbs still give you
an impression of sunny jollity, beauty and playfulness. It’s easy to see how
you could be sucked into the Californian Way of being laid back -  but it
quickly feels like lethargy, trust me.

Tonight Chris has church meetings, Julia is busy so I’m hoping to have a
quiet time whilst Fran is out. That’s my plan for tomorrow too since I am
supposed to be here for spiritual reasons.

Yz as ever

D & F

San Diego – the first bits

Fran and I made it here after a wearying 20+ hours on three planes. But thanks again to Continental Airlines for running a comfy, homely service. So it was Inverness to Gatwick for me, meet up with Fran then London to Houston to San Diego without a hitch and the miracle of walking almost straight through customs, collecting luggage and eventually arriving at SD and meeting up with Chris and Julia Cecil – our hosts!

What lovely people. One of the amazing things about the Lord’s kingdom is having family everywhere and being made at home anywhere. We have never met these great people until Thusday 13th but we feel like their nearest relatives. God is so GOOD!

Sleep was a tad tricky at first but eventually exhaustion set in and we did real good.

Next day….

so much has happened it’s really difficult to know where to start. Our first
night we just fell asleep from exhaustion after being out in the lovely warm
sunshine. It was fascinating being at a home schooler’s meeting. There
were around 40 family groups there, some of  them men and the atmosphere was
really gentle but exciting. All were christian, They were meeting at a
playing field in a suburb called Chula Vista [ Pretty View ], a few miles North of here.
They actually met under a bbq eating area like a large bandstand. Fran and I
just sat and watched at first, happy to chat away in the sunshine, but
eventually I walked around and spoke to a couple of the men about home
schooling. They were very passionate about it all and it all seemed very
well balanced, the kids meeting regularly for fun and fellowship.
Noah and Elisha Cecil are two smashing boys – really gentle natured without being
at all weak or insipid -  a real tonic and a credit to the homeschooling system.
We are so moved by Chris & Julia. Their testimony and service is so humble
and powerful and they just love Fran and I so much. They have thrown open
their home and hearts to us.

There is so much to appreciate here in terms of the people and what the Lord is doing amongst the church… not to mention the surf and the sun and the cool Californian ways.

Yesterday evening we went to a mission house in which Alejandro and Andrea [ Julia's
son and daughter ] works. There was a baptism of a little street boy called Anthony who’s
been a bit of a naughty boy but has been moved to make a commitment -  so he was
baptised in a galvanised tin trough in the backyard surrounded by his
friends and [ movingly ] his mum. We met several people including the
minister of the mission David De Witt, who is married to Christine Goodell…. small world.
Then eventually [ about 7pm ] we  came home for a lazy evening round the
dining table just chatting and sharing.
We slept well last night, waking a couple of times in the heat but still
getting refreshed. Then up at seven and off to the first Permission session
for nine.
What to say about Garry? A bit like meeting the women at the well …. I met
a man who told me about my life …. as he shared his journey to where he is
now. This man is so free in his thinking, so honest about why he’s
where he is and where he’s being led. He talks really fast but clearly and
the Spirit just seems to rush through him  and he speaks such sense. I
identified with so many things he was sharing, so much of his experience
sounds like mine and Louise’s own hearts for the reality of Jesus to come alive in His
people. His mission is to see the whole church moving in it’s gifting and
acting as a priesthood of all believers. Exciting. He is so prepared to think and live out
of the box as he ministers.
The session was only four hours and was packed but flew past. There is another session tomorrow then that’s it for School 1! Hopefully I’ll be able to meet up and chat a bit more with him during the week. Fran and I will be taking some time soon to collate our
notes.

After the meeting Chris and Julia took us to the ocean front were we had a
lovely snack meal on a veranda looking over a typical Californian beach with
golden sands, rich bluegreen waves with frothy white surf and an armada of
surfers taking part in a ‘longboard surf competition’! Stereotypical or
what! Everyone here seems brown and beautiful…. not a lot of lardies
either really.
We’ve just got back from picking up the boys from Alejandro’s place and done
some food shopping.
The weather is hot and dry -  mid 80’s I think. Fran and I managed to get a
bit crispy in yesterday’s sun but today we have been sensible and covered
up/greased over. Apparently San Diego had a heat and humidity wave just
before we came over but it’s still a little warmer than is usual.

So that’s us so far. Please keep praying for us.

Catch you soon.

Love D & F

A Mixed Bag of Meanderings

Again another week has flashed past. There have been some amazing things happening for me. Words spoken about me/to me. Wonderful times with the Word. Exciting senses of what the future may hold. Peaceful revelations about the love of the Lord. Most of these can’t be shared now but maybe at a future date.

I’m becoming more and more a-doctrinal in my outlook – if that’s not a contradiction or oxymoron! The more I read and observe of today’s church, the more I realise how divisive and destructive is much of what postures as doctrine and ministry these days. But again more of that another day.

Been really taken with Micah 6:8.

He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

It’s really informing my meditations at the moment.

I love it when I come across humility, as I did this week in conversation with a christian sister not seen often enough!

Sorry to be so vague – just wanted to share Micah as a meditation point really. Where are you with the thrust and direction of that verse?

Yesterday the Mem and I went to the Vue cinema at Inverness to see “Atonement“. Strange experience there since due to change of ownership, the Vue cinema doesn’t have a box office any more. You buy your tickets at the refreshment counter – so you queue twice as long even if you don’t want any food, just tickets. Buy on-line before you go. If you’re not on-line…how come you’re reading this? Anyway – deep film, well made, superb cinematography, excellent entertainment where the filme beats the book for me. Go see it!

The clock is ticking down to my time with Fran in San Diego – where we intend to do some research on the Third Day Church movement. This is actually code for hang out with a new branch of the family! I hope to be able to post from there. We will be staying with a christian family just North of the Mexico border between SD and Tijuana. Google-Earth it – I should. [ I also learnt about the tilt function on the Google Earth tool bar .... but that's another link.] We leave on Thursday, back after 12 days. Look after my lovely Mem Sahib whilst I’m gone you lot!

The Mem and I are pleasantly tired this evening, having done the church thing [ Holy Trinity Episcopalian in Elgin today - heard a lovely message which again underlined everything thatI feel the Lord has been saying to me this past two weeks ], then the Grand Prix at Monza [ saw it on the tv tho.. ] Great drive by Alonso – sublime about says it. Some superb gutsy driving by Hamilton too. Then out to the garden where Louise and I have de-weeded and de-rooted a large flower bed in the front of the house followed by heaving that bark stuff all over the place in an attempt to stifle the weed re-growth. The heavy rains of this year have meant prolific grass and weeds, but also our herbaceous thingies have all done well too, especially our poppy collection in the back garden. The Mem and I have also been really blessed by the number and quality of some self seeded perrennials which have just turned up over the past couple of seasons. Gorgeous! Thank you Lord!

Some guitar footnotes for you all…my son-in-law [ Johnsy ] showed me these links .. Pachelbels Canon played on electric guitar as shown on YouTube. This one is my fave of the many. This one is too much of a poser. For a complete change of style try this chap, Andy McKee , a percussive guitarist.

Isn’t the internet fun?

Well – it’s now late.

“Time for bed” said Sleepy Head.

“Let’s put on the pan,” said Naughty Nan,” and sup before we go! “