New Home

So the LJ family have finally moved into their own home. That is not necessarily true I feel I need to state to all, "You need to own a home to be somewhat human" fanatics, as the bank certainly owns a more significant portion of it than my wife and I. But we are now actually paying off a mortgage which apparently is a good state in which to be in the UK.

I've not ever been a homebuyer type of guy and in fact it has been a major part of the marriage narrative between my wife and I that I've had the view that I've had. I think growing up somewhere like Zimbabwe and leaving your home with a couple of suitcases and some cash - twice! (I left America the same way) - causes you to place minimal emphasis on owning your own property. One is delighted with 'having a ceiling over your head' rather than actually owning said ceiling. But, there is a state of peace that has come upon us as a family even in these early days that is different to what I've felt before and I must admit I enjoy it.

There is always the latent 'concern' in my heart that having such an investment will in someway hinder a radical openness to the total-life-giving call of God, but I guess I need to trust that my love for Him, inspired by His great love for me will serve to powerfully undermine even a 'love' for something as significant as my own home. I hope so.

Home Comforts

What is it about getting back home after you've been away. The words, "Ah it's great to be home," used to come off my folks' lips every time we returned from a holiday as I grew up and I can remember often thinking, "no it isn't I loved being on holiday in South Africa where you can get real sweets and awesome toys." Now I can fully identify with the root emotion that expressed those words all those years ago.

The LJ family have just returned from a simply lovely holiday in Brittany, France at a place called Moulin Begasse, near Meslan (click here for website). We were truly blessed to get the time away in a peaceful and idyllic setting encountering very little other than God's revelation of Himself both in nature and in personal communion (more on that in future blogs). But we're back and it is simply marvelous to be so. I don't fully get it but I felt it in a pronounced way as I prepared my morning cup of coffee.

As many know, and say, to my face actually, I am a rumoured 'coffee snob' - in other words I don't drink instant coffee and love to prepare filter coffee in a french press. Well I have a special and particular process of doing that which involves a particular mug, a defined amount of time heating that mug in the microwave prior to placing within the mug a certain number of sugar grains (I jest, but almost) and then after a well-worked-out-through-trial-and-error amount of time within my overused french press plunging the press and pouring the coffee. Yes, while doing this today I felt a surge of, "Ah it's great to be home."

I am sure there is something spiritual to it, and I would be the first to shout that I am a citizen of heaven and this is not my true home, but God seems to have instilled within us a longing for 'our place' where we know we are his definite 'under-shepherds' of that minimal, even minute, slice of His glorious creation.

Good to be back.

Simon

For those who haven't seen her yet!

The wife is off running, yeah I do feel guilty but keep it down would you, Malachi is swimming with his uncle so I decided to bring the new LJ down to the office to watch me as I work. I am preparing a document for those who are being Baptized at X1 to read through and to discuss in a group tonight- so excited about that.

But I know a ton of you good friends out there are moaning at me for not getting a picture of Madison Shae out there for you to see, so here is a humble attempt. Excuse the old bloke.

SImon