It really feels like summer!

So I missed a week. No excuses except that it's maybe reflective of the busyness of the season.

Last week Sam and I went, along with my best mate Alasdair, to Milan to see U2 strut their stuff at the awesome San Siro stadium. After months of anticipation and excitement, it didn't disappoint. The sheer scale of the concert was breathtaking. You can see pictures here.

On the home front my 16 year old daughter Laura had her school prom last Friday and she looked beautiful. Quite the princess! She's off in London for a few days before heading off to visit family over the summer so I won't see her till the end of August. At least then we have a family holiday together to look forward to.

At church, I have been officially welcomed as an elder of Bethany Christian Centre. What a daunting responsibility and privilege. All I can do is keep trusting God for His equipping and enabling to carry out the responsibilities of an elder in the local church. If you pray, please pray for me.

This past weekend was the latest service where we integrated the youth service and the regular evening service. Several of the young people participated and we built the service on the theme of 'Freedom.'

Yesterday I popped over to Keswick in the beautiful Lake District to do a bit of a reccy for a youth week away later this month. We're visiting the Keswick Convention so I took advantage of the teaching on offer and listened to Dale Ralph Davis preaching on 'The Heart that Strays' from 1 Kings 11. Solomon allowed his heart to be distracted and stolen by competing gods, as the influence of his 700 wives and 300 concubines wore him down. (Can you imagine?)

One of the major disconnects in the modern age is between heart and head and Davis was reminding his audience that in God's kingdom, they intrinsically go together.


BOOK(S) I'M IN THE MIDDLE OF:

On the recommendation of my colleague, I've begun reading 'So You Don't Want To Go To Church Anymore' by Wayne Jacobsen & Dave Coleman. So far so good. Written in a very accessible style, it paints a picture of how going through the motions of faith can have a devastating effect on someone's personal relationship with God. I'm hoping that as I approach the meat of the book, that it also points to some ways of preempting these dangers.


TV HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK:

Haven't seen much telly, but Alli and I are enjoying 'On Thin Ice', a documentary on BBC1 on Sunday nights, following Ben Fogle, Ed Coats and James Cracknell on their race to the South Pole.


WHAT SONG IS THE IPOD SHUFFLE PLAYING AS I TYPE THIS:

" Why Does It Always Rain on Me?" by Travis



NEXT TRIP:

In 11 days we take 22 eager teenagers to Keswick for a week's camping and exposure to God's Word. What an exciting prospect. Pray for lives to be changed.


HOW I'M FEELING ABOUT THE WEEK:

Well, the hits just keep on coming. After last week's trip to Milan, I have a few days off this week and I'm going to watch the Open from Turnberry from the luxury of our lounge. Anybody but Tiger please.