This last week has seen me get through what has felt like mountains of marking, I have finally reached the end of the pile and am quite relieved. Just as I was coming to the end of it (the marking that is) a new book I ordered came through the post, The Sacred Way by Tony Jones. It's beautifully written and easy to read, 'an invitation to explore spiritual practices that will quicken and expand our everyday lives' as the review says.
I find it interesting and exciting that there is an increased interest in spiritual practices of long ago, I personally feel that the tradition I've grown up in hasn't given me much in the way of practices in this area and I'm the weaker for it. The thing is, as Jones writes, 'seeking God will not be easy' and what is comforting (for me, as I feel I'm fairly useless at times in this area) is that spiritual disciplines don't come easy either and haven't done for Christians throughout the ages. The thing with 'disciplines' is that they are just that - you have to work at them and make time for them, but they're not to be seen as a chore or burden, rather a way of finding space for God. Jones quotes Henri Nouwen:
'Discipline means to prevent everything in your life from being filled up. Discipline means that somewhere you're not occupied, and certainly not preoccupied. In the spiritual life, discipline means to create that space in which something can happen that you hadn't planned or counted on.'

It's the practices that Jones writes about (Silence, meditation, labyrinth, fasting, different types of praying, etc..) that can help us to be disciplined and to create that space for God to speak and for us to hear and grow and that's why I think the interest in this area, not just for individuals but in the whole emerging church scene is an exciting one.

On a completely different note...roller disco in the church hall tonight at youth group - should be fun! And, now that I'm a deacon (I was elected last night), I will be even more aware of the tension between taking responsibility for the state of the hall floor and allowing the young people to have fun!

Another Place and Other Places - an exhibition of photographs by Ron Davies opens at Southport Arts Centre Gallery tomorrow until 5th May 2007. It's great that the beach 'down our road' has become such a focus of positive attention. I love the statues, and Ron's photos do them and the beach justice. Hopefully if I can make it up north before the end of May I'll be able to get to the exhibition.

This is one of my pictures from my last trip home.

Enjoyed a sunny walk today. Travelled by train to Glynde and walked along the South Downs to Lewes before taking the train back home. It's a walk of some steep climbs and great views - this was the view coming into Lewes.

Have been wondering what to put on my blog for a few days as I don't seem to be doing anything very exciting, reading anything much (haven't had much time to read from my books) or think anything very exciting. As I was thinking about this I realised that it is probably because my days are filled with so much other 'stuff' - not very exciting stuff, but the things that need doing like making dinners, washing, clearing up, cleaning...and then there's work.

One thing that keeps us all on our toes in our house, and is the source of much amusement is Brewster our lovely and mildly mad black cat. At the moment he's being silly about his food, so after a full day at work, dash to collect Michael from clarinet lesson, pick up the ironing from Jane (one bit of light relief, I have someone to do my ironing!), and call in at the chippy for tea, I then went to Sainsburys to see if I could find some new cat food that our beloved cat might like. We're trying him on a new brand, so hope it works!