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Landing > London > 13 July 2009.

Release me

I went out side tonight, and saw the most beautiful thing. Between the stars were these gorgeous glowing moons just moving gently through the sky and between the stars. At a closer look I realised that they were Sky Lanterns or 'Paper Moons'. People here are releasing them into the sky because of the 'Festa Junina' or June Festival which is based on the festivities that the Portuguese introduced in the Colonial period.

I will have no way of understanding what the Brazilians feel for this festival and what significance it holds for them, but one of my first thoughts was, maybe it's a tribute to those who have gone away, those who have passed. This was beautiful to me.

Watching them made me think of the song 'Release Me' by Oh Laura, as well as a song by someone else I'm listening to a lot these days, Johnny Cash's epitaph song 'Hurt' particularly because of the words "everyone i know goes away in the end" and "i am still here". This song touches me profoundly. It makes me ask myself, what will I become?

The Rescue

Invisible Children are getting there. I urge you, watch this interview on Larry King Live.

I have rarely seen something so informative & so full of potential as is the movement called Invisible Children. I've been a part of this movement for five years, and we are increasingly seeing hope.

It's moving.

"Last week, senators introduced the LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act of 2009 to help end LRA violence in northern Uganda and neighboring countries. The bipartisan act would require the Obama Administration to develop a strategy within 120 days to "apprehend or otherwise remove Joseph Kony from the battlefield." The bill also authorizes funding for humanitarian assistance in LRA-affected areas, as well as additional funds for recovery efforts in northern Uganda. " - Invisible Children

Towards the end of this month [ June 22-23 ] you can (if you're in D.C) go to the lobbying event and let your voice be heard, or for us over the seas and far away, you can go online with the live feed that will be telling you what's going on> you can advocate from your couch - we can actually participate in this. So make sure you watch The Rescue, then see How It Ends by participating via the Live Feed online over June 22nd & 23rd. I'll be doing just that.

Mixtape

I've always said that "life should have a soundtrack!" - everything that we do should have a song. So I've put together sort of a 'mixed tape' of songs.. you'll find the player over there in the right-hand side column near the top, or you can open this link to have these songs play through your day - just start from the top!

Life really is Beautiful

She's just a small-town girl from a residential area just outside of Durban, South Africa (I've always wanted to start off a post like that), and now she's in Mozambique. My friend Lauren Nixon is really doing this thing, this life, so beautifully! It's rich, it's raw and it's real. She's always living in her present. We're often looking in so many other directions towards trying to find the one thing we ought to be doing. Well it seems, that there are those among us getting it right, and just going for it.

I don't know why I haven't told you about her before! Ever since I've known her, she's always had a heart for the people most-in-need in our world, just outside our front door. She is simply living out a loving and effective life; loving God + loving others. Wowzers!

See her at Life is Beautiful + also see her pics.

The Song.

The song keeps playing.
It's reality at it's most raw.
It's written on our hearts.

If you can, watch Nooma: Rhythm by Rob Bell

Be yourself

I liked this. Just be yourself.

Compassion + Art

This is art changing poverty.
See what they're doing at Compassion Art.
Wow.

Nurturing Creativity

This is one of the most refreshing things I've heard, and I hope that you really hear it too > Elizabeth Gilbert on Nurturing Creativity.

Wait until you have 20mins to sit & watch this.

Olé to you.

In the bag

These are my two long-time companions of late.. brilliant reads by the great C.S. Lewis & Elizabeth Gilbert that always make it into my bag (one of which you can read online.)

I've been reading, thinking and absorbing a lot more since being here in Brazil, not writing as much, and I've enjoyed that for the moment. I've also been digging deeper creatively, & doing some designing, which has been fantastic. I took some pictures too, yet since then, my pocket camera gave up on me just after these were taken. Figures. I'll buy some film again for my more favoured and trustworthy Yashica, which does some loverly things. Ahh, I just pulled it out for old-times sake.. smells classic.

Life

It's simple.

Times are grand. See the video at vimeo. Also go to hillsong.com.

I took these screenshots simply because the video is just gorgeous.. and I take a liking towards these type of things, as you already know. Images © Hillsong 2009.

New

You're brand new.

Holdable

It's my new word: holdable. And a Moleskine is such a thing - magnificently holdable. You should buy it and try it. Oh and I just wrote to them and told them to include Cape Town in their new City Notebook range. Yes.

Sometimes..

Same goes for all of us, i think.
I wish i thought more about digging deeper.
I wish i thought more about every moment.
I wish i thought more about the environment.
I wish i thought more about my family.
I wish i thought more about resting.

Image: Steffan Bruggemann

Two Double Oh Nine

.. or Two Double Oh Shine, as my friend jp says. He's got it right.

So we just got back from the most fantastic road trip from the Gold Coast back to Sydney. I wasn't as hardcore as the others - i jumped on webjet, flew up and met them there, but did the miles back, from camping in no-camping zones near Surfers Paradise (nice); to preparing our meals of beans&bread on the footpath; to getting a flat tyre in Byron Bay* and choosing to take a nap just because we were 'over it'; to staying for two days with the couple who helped us out of that (free b&b pretty much, amazing r&r); to bathing in the hippy (& nudist, to our surprise) highly acclaimed Tea-Tree Lake near Byron + covering ourselves with the therapeutic mud that the lake provided; all the way to celebrating New Years Eve on Bondi Beach with my two dear Brazilians, our two Danish-ians**, a Welsh girl named Esther, and a Dani + a Jess from who-knows-everywhere (nice girls), all the while having the nicest time, meeting & being with the greatest people from around the world.. and still, it goes on.

(Oh and two more beautiful discoveries: Annika's Family + Açaí pr. Ah-sigh-ee, the most beautiful thing Brazil has given to the world. Find it. Try it.)

Rajão & I saw Morcheeba on Sunday at the 'Days Like This' festival.. which was glorious! Rajão shouted the tickets (in fact he shouted everything while i was living with him, knowing i've got like $20 to my name.. so he's been amazing), so yeah, where was i, oh yeah, the tickets.. which we walked the whole frikn city for the previous day - it was worth it. He found a Ghandi Doll too, his prize. So yeah, great days. Please tell me you've heard this:



*Click on the link and view gallery.
**Danish-ians? What would we call you, Patricia!? Danes?

Christmas.

Click image for larger view.

May yours be great.
Photography by Kieran White 2008.

(Oh, and the vibe with the gifts from the 'wise men' is that they happen to be some of the most Iconic Australian products - Vegemite, Eucalyptus Oil & Four X Gold. Of course, I probably would've given Baby Jesus some Tim Tams instead of the Four X! Yet, you're the wiser of us three Kieran, and you're Australian, so yeah, go wild. :)

Completo.

So, we graduated. How great.
Photos, courtesy of Leora Gardner

only when i've lost myself

So these have also been my words; my story, erupting from my thought-factory. While this song, 'NYC' by Marty Sampson, is written with a duo-addressee (that is, to his lady + God) for me for now, it's just heavenward:

I've seen all the adverts - Stared at all the billboards - Waited for the taxis - Ate your popcorn in movies - But only when i lost myself - I've walked through New York City - I've seen the ugly the pretty - The less fortunate and wealthy - But none can compare to You - I've jumped out to the ending - Been bleeding from wounds of nothing - I've listened and been ignored - Been hungry I've been bored - Been left out in the storm - But only when i lost myself - Is when I found You - I've been so many places - Seen too many faces - Heard too many cases - Of dreams without chasers... so - I've lost myself - And all my wealth - I broke my pride - I stepped aside - And threw away - The best of life - What I held dear - Achingly tight - To lose my lot - Ruin my life - To lose all else - To find myself - With you. - 'NYC' Marty Sampson.

So to throw some adventure in the mix, I've moved out. The last three weeks have been stellar. It's been real good. I've stayed with my friends Simon & Ben and 10 other guys, and each day&night has been momentous . They leave tomorrow though, which is a sad thing, but I'm excited for what's ahead. My mini-plan is to house-sit or, at the very least, take care of your couch over December/January. I can't really afford much at the moment, and thought i'd just throw that out there. I'll probably be here untill the end of February, but if I save a fantastic amount, I may be able to do a second year here.. the future seems delightful either way when looking at my handful of dreams, where ever I next land.

And so, the next and most recent thing to let you know, joyfully, is that I graduated last night. It was a splendid evening. One great year complete, and like I said somewhere in this momentous post: "One thing, of the many, that I realised, was that this next year will not only be a year progressing in my own perceived plans of growth, but also a full-on time of reclaiming. Involuntarily and voluntarily. Reclaiming my headspace and my breathing space. Reclaiming my capacity to love and receive love. Down to the details." I've been reclaiming, no doubt about it. And the wonder of it all has been priceless. And only cos I've lost myself, I've tasted and I've seen.

We've only just begun. And we're beginning to see dreams owned by their chasers.

oh eight

It has been [such] a good year*.

*Click on that, sit back, relax, and you'll also hear just what I mean! La la la la la..

on dreaming

What would happen if all of us began to live, Wide Awake?

on design

I'm wanting to up my output with designing. Considering the way we can work these days, no matter where you are in the world, we can work together. It's amazing! And I just love it. I just recently finished my first project for Fresh Aesthetics - they work with designers and clients all over the world, and I look forward to doing many more works for them, wherever I go.

In between dreams of being and doing this thing called the church wholeheartedly.. I dream of the coffee shop and/or the park across the road being my 'office', with strong hopes of one day doing so with one of these*, soaking in the creativity and freedom of friends, writing our stories together, changing the world.

My hope, as good ol' Paul did with his tent-making, is to use this skill I have to 'make it through', haha, and some. I want to be empowered, to empower others. Anyone with a vision & a cause, big or small, also knows very well that to get going, you need the financial help. So I'm hands down and working on two things: Design + Photography.

I'm also hoping to find someone who can help me put together my concept for a new website (stay posted) for these things. In time, I hope you'll see an array of work from a guy that you'd like to support and be supported in.

In the meantime, dream, with substance. And drink tea.

* Also, if you know of anyone not using their Canon EOS 400D SLR, or beyond.. you know what to do!

eat well

Oh Hannah, my friend.

new soul

I'm a new soul. And so are you.



Go see: Yael Naim. Shalom!

ooh!

A second ago I just couldn't help but let out an out loud "Ooh!" when I clicked on this:


May you discover. May you jump in.
An out loud "Ooh!" of wonderment is simply, not enough.

+

Next week, the Passion World Tour comes to Sydney. I think, by the end of it, they will have been to something like 17 countries, one being South Africa just recently. (Yes, I know how it feels, you want to visit so much it hurts, some will even set up camp there, but just so you know, once i return, my couch will always be ready for you - of course yes, for no mula*, just come be friends. And if you find me one of these, no question about it, i'll take the couch! And/or if you do this, i like you already.)

So we've got ten tickets for a bunch of us, and we wanna go there and draw from the Passion Team, and more so, draw from God in ways that will be more than just a worship experience, but draw from his heart for the vulnerable and the poor, for the lost, and the found.

We've come here from all over the world to learn what it's really all about, and I believe we are. While we friends are all finishing our [first] year here, and while some of us have new steps to take, we are seeing great things, and doing even greater things, knowing that we're all in this together, where ever we are.

Here's a great moment: Bono taking ground.

* 'Mula' is Zulu for 'Money', if you needed to know.

times like these

It's times like these we awaken.
It's times like these we reclaim.
It's times like these we know God.

"God is with us, if we are with them."

a good question

going on

This is the nicest thing I've seen in a long time.
Viva Afrika! [ New song+video from Gnarles Barkley 'Going On'. ]



In other news, things are great down here in Australia. Right now i'm looking whether or not i will be able to do a second year of College. I really want to get equipped further for sure, it's just a question of being able to pay the fees, that's all.

With out fail, my homeland is always on my mind, and i never stop dreaming of the potential & beauty she has. I want to walk with her in these great days.

In the meantime on this side of the Pacific, i'm envisioning a visit to Hong Kong sometime early next year to see my friends Leora & Jeff & learn more about what they're up to there. Oh and watch 'Almost Flew' - the video Jeff also made himself.

but thank you for reading!

So recently, a most minor hiccup occurred with the automatic feed of my older blog-posts into the Facespace-notes-importing-thingy..... yeah. So, somehow i updated the rss feed, and it re-imported every note on the blogspot page..

.. so when reading, please note the dates of the posts! Some have already asked, "have you lost your job!?" Haha, no, not yet at least. But i am so grateful you're making your visits to ryanwynn.blogspot.com. (Genius name for a blog, i know.) Hey, get in touch, i love heaaring where you're at!

And, how cool is this: couchsurfing! I'm checking it out..

Love you all,
in South Africa,
England,
Australia,
and beyond..
ry.

sounds like home

Something amazing is happening back home.. above, a rally in South Africa hosted by Angus Buchan. | Also, go see this snippet of the Passion World Tour Cape Town, which just happened recently.

brothers + sisters

My friends here have been lovely.

freedom

I think my friend, Leora, is wonderful.. take a scroll over to blog.leoragardner.com, and you'll see.

+

She just freely dedicated her night to us by inviting us on board her pigeon-mobile to re-discover Newtown and beyond, all for one thing: fun.

One thing I value more than almost everything, (& i thank all my friends for this) is how someone can give you their time. They just give it away! They could be doing anything else out there, anything else in the world, and they're handing it over to you.. just, because.

It baffles me every time.

most highly

After four years of reading this, and through all sorts of seasons, I still most highly recommend this book, 'My Utmost For His Highest' by Oswald Chambers, quoted as ".. the greatest personal devotional book of all time."

You know what to do. [ And now, it's even online! ]

i will tell them.

i'm still listening to the spirit of this and being drawn by it's call. africa, i wont let go. i will tell them.



And so, this week is a full week. An assessment study of the book of Ruth + Personal Leadership & Communication in Ministry tutorial work + 1 song for Songwriting class.. it's all happening! Phwoar!

home really is where the heart is

These weeks have been fantastic as life has been unfolding amongst my friends and i. It’s incredible, since arriving, it’s like God had the sweetest plan to bring the right people around each other, the people who are to be family to each other.. and I’m learning more and more about this, or rather, I’m learning more and more in all this. We’re in it right now! This is it! Life is happening!

The surprising authenticity all around me is exactly the type of thing that pulls on my heart-strings. All along the way, I'm so stoked to be having these authentic moments + conversations.

Easter was off the charts! After the Parachute Band blowing us away and into looking upwards, Guy Sebastian, the dude who won Australian Idol and who is in our church lead the evening in the sweeeetest soul/r&b vibe.. he looks like a young Stevie Wonder, who i love, and maybe a little cape-malay looking.. Cape Town would LOVE him actually! It was awesome! I wish I had more space to dance.. the place was packed!

So, Easter, to me is the most important time of the year.. but one thing kept bugging me, was how much I wanted to be home with my family. Some of them are all together for the first time in a long time, over there in the u.k, and some are chilling together back in s.a. I just realised how alive the design of family is, and how during a family holiday like this, I am over the seas and faraway from all that. But, today and over the last week, I've celebrated with new family. And more and more, my heart is at home with them, these crazy people, my friends.. i'm feeling surprisingly at home every day. So we hung out together today and soaked up the inescapable beauty & majesty of this place, just up the road, called The Blue Mountains. And God was realised all day. These words said it all for me today.

Secondly, or thirdly: I’m walking somewhere new and exciting since that momentous day (yes, you can click that word 'momentous' ooh, and see what i'm talking about.)

Ooh, I kid you not, make sure you look out for ‘Glory Is Here’ by Michael Gungor. (Just throwing it out there!)

hot water comes from hot clouds

.. yes this is true according to my housemates 3year old son! we're stunned at how profound that was! and how as-a-matter-of-fact moment it was for him, and us.

he's THREE!

hot water comes from hot clouds which are the grey ones. simple thought. so funny! i'm not gonna write more cos i just wanna go hang with him!

where the streets have no name

I've never sweated like this before. I just got back from Street Teams which was awesome!!! Oh yah, you must be informed, so Street Teams is one of my favourite things about church where we simply just go out to bless & encourage people in the community. They get puzzled that we're not wanting their money or knocking on the doors to work at being sure we're safe for the next life. The things we did today just got people so stoked cos it is just that simple: random acts of kindess with the only motive being that we love Jesus. If they never ask why we're there, then they're still being blessed. Woo! I love it!!!

And tonight some schweeeet friends are coming over to our house (which is the type of thing i really appreciate cos it really is out of the way) just to chill, and eat what ever we can get together.. and yes, we have a foosball table, pingpong and wii, but oh how i wish we had a pool, and the money for food!

So.. where is this blog going? I have no clue. Ha! Right now, it's here for you to hear the latest word; hear where in the world i'm at; and to start challenging the status quo in any ways we can... but i think we can all do something more with what's in our hands already.. hmm.. so let's see what happens.

Ooh, so the album recording went more-than-well! Brace yourselves, some gi-huge things went on that night. I'm spent, and stoked, and loving every bit.

Oh and, yes, i was at Bondi Beach yesterday and yes, Jack Johnson is cool and yes, we conversed in the lobby of the hotel that the Youth Alive Conference is running at (where i was at). I'm pretty well stoked! Yah. A schweeeet day topped off with a perfect night on the beach for Elin's birthday. And she even blew some candles out. On the beach. Very nice.

My facespace should have photos soon i'm sure.

Again, must sleep. Life is so good. Learning so much. You're awesome.

+

Terri, my beautiful sister, happy 21st!

Everyday here has been glorious.. and to quickly mention todays adventure.. we visited the Blue Mountains. Woo! Beautiful. The chasm we looked over into looked like the grandcanyon, only, covered in brocolli.. and tastier-looking. Nice.

So, it's the Album Recording this weekend. God's clearly doing awesome things by the lives that are being changed in this place.. if only you knew the stories.. and who knows how far these anthems will reach and pay-forward the Message we live for. I'm soo amped. And college is going great! The genuine people i'm meeting along the way have been way-more than a welcome blessing, of whom i can see how largely they'll outweigh anything else i'll learn out here. But o, the things we're learning in class & beyond.. woo! Great things.

Must sleep.

ryanwynn.blogspot.com..

.. soo creative, i know.

I've just created a group on facespace, which i hesitated to do*, but, this is for you, and me.. to hear the latest word; hear where in the world i'm at, (which for the people i really care about, means heaps); and to start challenging the status quo in any ways we can.

* "The most difficult lie I ever contended with is this: Life is a story about me." -Don Miller

So, i've been in Sydney Australia for one whole month already, and right now, i've just enrolled for college and i start next week. Guys, i'm feeling so at home here. The last several days, and the people in them, have been fantastic, to say the very least - but nothing beats home, especially by being reminded of home with walking this town, every day, in my Jerusalem Creepers (visitors to Durban beachfront, you'll know what shoes i'm talking about). But they're seeing their last days now. Aargh. (I'm size 11).

I like to write. I do my very best to write and say a fair share of hello's. I fail regularly. But i love ya. Thanks for going with me. ry.

Jan 2008

Yes, while sitting here in Sydney.. SYDNEY I TELL YOU!!.. i'm writing to you while listening to Newton (yes, please do take a listen). Things are feeling like home already and I'm feeling like 2008 is gonna be wonderful.

Ooh! I'll write more later.. just received some developing news of a spontanious decision! We're heading to the Sydney Festival in 20 mins. G'night!

I've been thinking..

.. that even when i turn it off, the outcome feels the same. I've been thinking maybe i've been part of the cloudy. Maybe i'm the chance of rain. And maybe i'm overcast. I've been thinking about everyone. But when i look at the stars, i see someone else. I feel like myself.

THE NEW NEWS: Flying to 2008!

So it's official! I managed to raise and save just enough.. and so the news is, I fly to Australia at the end of the month!!! Woohooo!! I leave on the 30th December in fact! So i'll be celebrating New Years Eve on the plane! Cool and weird at the same time. So i set foot in Sydney Land on the 1st Jan 2008.. can't believe it's all happening! :) Gonna love it!

[And hey, thanks to everyone for being so cool and for going with me, and for those who gave towards helping me get there.. you know who you are. How awesome it's been. I could still do with help for sure, so keep/be in touch. Would be good to hear from you! Woohoo!]

Story

Don Miller (Blue Like Jazz) spoke at Mars Hill the other night! Click here to have a listen.. you'll have to take a little scroll to find it, but it's there. Ooh.

A conversation here, a conversation there.

I haven't written in a while, so to get back 'into it', i'll just throw in a snippet from my day in the form of a short note i wrote to a friend earlier on - with some crossing of the t's and dotting of the i's, for your skim-reading pleasure! Secondly, very soon i'll be posting something of a 'reaching-out-to-you ' movement, so please be sure to visit here soon!

" ..so does your church have a website bro? I love following/keeping up with churches that way. Oh ja, to answer your questions, i dig what Moby says, "I read the New Testament, specifically the gospels and I was struck at their divinity, feeling that humans could not have figured this out on their own. We're just not bright enough." I've also thought similarly before. I'd submit that nobody could've just 'come up' with Jesus; and, for me, God being here in the FLESH = almost inconceivable.. but not.. you know? Amazing.

And what do i think when i hear the word, church or christian? Well,
You are the Church. I am the Church. Be the Church.

I'm so stoked Moby is a Christian. I'm looking 'into' what he's all about right now. And ooh, i digggg this [film + this] moment: "shaawiiiiiiiing!" & you just gotta love this. "

I better get back to some work. Woohoo!

As it goes..

I sit really badly at my computer. Any computer. I just cannot get comfortable. I cannot get it right. Maybe I should be climbing mountains and doing pilates in-between takes, or something far out, but for now and for life as i know it and like it, writing, designing and composing on the tool of our time is where it's at for me. So if you're thinking about sponsoring me for next year, I might have to ask you for your help towards the physio instead! Haha. Just kidding.

So I know I haven't posted for a while, and that's precisely because there's been so much happening. And to account for it is far less important than living it out. But honestly, I have a passion for writing and so the constant urges I have to get myself to a keyboard never weaken.

I would like a type-writer one day. There's something about that I like very much, actually.

Great things have been happening all around. Last night Kobus Visagie was at Powerhouse (george loves you too) - and ja, it's the first time an afrikaans-accented speaker has given me goosebumps. Yay. I been waiting for that day! Beautiful things/moments do that to me. He's solid. He's right on. And so, he's over here for the world cup of course, and what an awesome time we had. This ausie guy Andy also spoke, and full-on opened my eyes to something very very good: Red Frogs. This is big. And it's just started in South Africa as well. And I'm throwing myself into it too. No doubt about it, this is an awesome thing they've got going, and how it all started 10 years ago is what really got my attention.

My holiday was superb. And I've just started freelancing, which for a lack of better words is, very exciting.

So I have some other thoughts that I will try to pen soon and maybe even get back to IP - a lovely thing. I'd love to post more often with more detail, but I'm kinda on the same road with joshua longbrake with what he said the other day, "Blogs are good mediums for creativity, but I refuse to miss out on experiencing life and being with people because of the pressure to blog. I know people who miss out on so much because they continually feel the need to be blogging, and I don’t want to be like that."

So yeah, I’m sorry, but not really.
Thanks for going with me. Almost there.

What we sing & say..

"Songs are getting lyriclly deeper and real for us. By far.
What the songs are saying are really really good.
It's broad. It's deep. It's wide.
And I think it's true and real for us."
JH, United.

+ one

I had a surprising pouring-out-of-my-heart moment today, to someone at work. After she asked me how my weekend was (great, thanks), and still smelling my fresh print-outs, I responded in saying, that I reckon, that we should have 3-day weekends. Society needs it. Before asking her to hear me out, I just rambled on, and can I add, a bit more fluently than I usually do. (I write better than I talk. For Now.) "Cos with the world progressing and demanding more and more from people; people having sleepless nights cos of stress at work; the mounting nervous breakdowns that come with that; the family breakdowns; and blah, we should just 'progress' to working less! Whatya think?" I asking her smiling.

She just said, "You've obviously thought about this alot?"

"Once or twice." I said, retreating.

I laughed at myself. Gotta love it. Passion is in us, nearer and more real [and more useful] than we think. And this was a petty subject! But we've got it. And we're ready. More than we know.

Have a listen to Greg Boyd (Christos Victor, week 431), at Mars Hill. Ya he get's amped for sure, but he has an eye-opener to why Jesus came here to get onto the cross, and a whole lot more. And it's not a new thought. Mars Hill Bible Church is something I wanna say, watch this space. Listen to their messages as much as you can. Learn. Apply.

And always, always take any anthem you stumble across, to church, to your world.

I'm looking forward to my day off on friday!
(For an interview. At HTB. Again. Yay.)

Awakening

A few weeks ago, instead of the Dominion Theatre, we had church at, get this.. the Royal Albert Hall! It was the final evening of a week-long conference. The CEO of the Royal Albert Hall, who happened to be a Christian fervently said, "Finally we're using this place for God!" So rad.

And so I thought about it.. this is just not normal!! To have the blessing of being able to use that place. If you understand the magnitude of that + the calibre of shows that have used the venue over the centuries.. you can't but help have the realisation come to you that God is doing stuff. Big stuff. Excellent stuff. He just needs the willing.

We're awakening.

So I found a seat quite close to the stage, and with the place being grand and circular, I was pretty-much facing the church/people, not the stage. Masses of people, thousands, worshipping God. I opened my eyes for a while and just looked at this snippet of heaven with eye-watering joy. It was just another illustration of Gods love and majesty.

And this last weekend, my family and I took a trip north to Cambridge, home to Cambridge University. What beauty.. and what an education! We were on our way up this narrow walkway near the riverside to lunch, when, oh my goodness, this old guy cycles&squeezes past us.. naked! Can you handle. (He was!) We couldn't believe it! His, you-know-hoo-ha, sitting so comfortably enjoying the view so many don't get to enjoy. Naturists. Hmm.

So the next hour held our excessive tears of laughter, and then some time after that we finally brought ourselves to eat. We realised that it must be some guy from The Strawberry Festival just 5mins walk up the road. The only music festival of it's kind for the year. Almost a Splashy Fen vibe but just a one day-er. Peace out man. The people were of vast uniqueness, to say the least. Otherwise, Cambridge is a beautiful place, and when you go there, it literally feels like time has been brought down to half-pace, in the almost, the most peaceful way. We topped the day with a Punt-ride on the river. Splendid.

So Marty Sampson (Hillsong Worship Leader) has written a some splendid songs. Go to his website. "Only when I lost myself, is when I found You." Marty Sampson - Let Love Rule, 'NYC'.