A Thank you to highland Perthshire

 

Strathearn, Comrie, Glendevon, Cleish Hill, The Lomonds, St Andrews, Loch of the Lowes, Pitlochry, Lochearnhead, Inchture, Tay Bridge, The Sma Glen, Loch Tay, Forth Road Bridge, Stronachie, The Langside, The Lammermuirs, Duns, The Borders, Leuchars, Kinclaven, Glenlyon, Dunkeld, Aberfeldy, Loch Leven, Dunning Glen, Path of Comdie, glenalmond,
I thank you for all the views, the climbs, the drops, the miles, the sun, the clouds, the downpours (esp Kinross sportive 2011) , the snow, the wind.
I thank you for the 4000 miles in just over the last 3 years, and for the enjoyment that the Scottish scenery has given. I hope that others get to enjoy it too.





                           

Poised between memory and hope (2)

I was looking again at Luke 24 yesterday, as about to lead the Bible Study at Perth YMCA, with the thoughts again of being poised between memory and hope lingering around my brain again.
I think it fair to consider that in that moment for the world, just after the resurrection, when history had changed, there was an element of chaos, an element of confusion. Women were being reported seeing ghosts, Bodies disappearing, expectations were dashed, a King had died unexpectedly, what were the 11 disciples to make of it all. Peter went fishing again ( John 21) went back to his comfort zone, what he was used to, these two disciples fled home ( Luke 24 v 13) left the City, the source of all this confusion. Poised between memories that spoke of hope, and memories that hurt, and had no present realisation or promise of hope in the future.
So what does Jesus do, meets them on the road where their memory was painful, encourages them to reflect and then in their present, re orientates them to new life, a new hope and promise of what is a new reality. That old King is no longer dead.
Poised between memory and hope.

New Roads on the Longest Day

Even after 2 1/2 years of cycling around Perthshire, this morning, i found a new road. It was great. I try and do a new road every now and then, keeps me interested and i think thats what i love about cycling, rather than running or going to the gym for exercise, its that, especially in Scotland, every season, every angle from the road is a new view. So today, i got a whole load more than that, an undiscovered road. No Cars, no smell of fumes, just me, the sunshine, a few rabbits, and a grazing baby deer, enjoying the early morning sunshine, on the longest day, on a 4 mile stretch that id not done before.  

Its been 7 weeks since i was on the bike, since i got triple cramp at the Kinross cycle sportive, a 7 week period of time that has included having interviews and getting a new job, handing in notice, and all the processes of moving house. 

Yesterday, we sold our house. We thought it would bring a sense of relief, and yet, though there was champagne in the fridge which we saved from a few weeks ago, yesterday didnt seem to be the right time, less of a relief, but an even more realisation of the reality of the next steps, and that now we need to find a new home. As someone said to me today, its like the tap is now gushing, where 7 weeks ago it was just a drip drip, thinking of options, considering possibilities and now its house sale, schools, jobs organised and its all in full flow. 

To go on the new road on the longest day, for that moment on the bike, at 7am this morning, a moment, to stop and watch the young deer chew the grass, and take deep breaths of pure air, ride through the tree line road, is a moment to connect , to stop and reflect, to enjoy the newness of the experience. 

Somehow this transition experience is as like that moment this morning, new twists and turns when on a bike i dont know the layout, the condition of the road, the gradients, or the views, and many times its like this morning to stop, to reflect and to enjoy the newness of every day. 

Poised between Memory and Hope

Just thinking a bit more about transitions, between one state of being to another, from one structure of life to another, and i caught myself thinking of the Theological six act structure that Kevin Vanhoozer ( and NT Wright before him) have proposed, this being:

Act 1 : Creation
Act 2: Gods Election
Act 3: Jesus: Gods definitive word/act
Act 4 : Risen Christ/ Spirit/Church
Act 5:  The Consumation of all things

Vanhoozer goes on to say that " the church lives at present between the definitive event of Jesus and the concluding event of the eschaton, poised between memory and hope" (KJV, 2005:3)

Looking at the 5 act structure above, the thing that crosses my mind is that Act 3 is very short compared with the others, and yet so much changes in that short 33 year period of time in the course of history, and most of what we know about it is packed into a three year narrative in the Gospels. Yet though so much more than this, there is tension between memory and hope throughout Acts 2, 3 and 4 (where the church is now). But in that very short Act 3, Jesus prepares the disciples, the world, and the church for a long Act 4.
Poised between memory and hope is a pretty definitive way to define transition, the hope of the future, the new, the fresh, the change, mixed with the memories of the past, the achievements, the people, the conversations, the relationships.
Being poised is about where transition often is, like the 100 metre runner on the blocks, poised but waiting for the gun to go, but as ready to step off if theres a false start. Sense of expectancy, crowd waiting. I remember the 1996 Olympics when Linford Christie was supposed to defend his title, yet false started, twice, and was disqualified; poised but jumped too quickly. Poised and waiting, in the control of the one who holds the gun.
Writing this blog, i suppose is some way to the feeling of being on the blocks, ready to go, poised, between achievements of the past, and what lies ahead. nerves twitching as things out of my control dictate the pace, waiting for phone calls, house sales etc etc. Yet also not being able to start thinking ahead too quickly, without finishing what has been started here. Poised between memory and hope.

Opening Spiel...

Hello, I thought i would start a blog. Often its great to hear about the successes and establishing of youthwork programmes, to hear reflections of struggle, of thoughts both theoretical and theological and those are really inspiring. However, my situation now is slightly different, and i thought it would be interesting to write about it, and hear your thoughts on it. 
For the last 4 years i have coordinated a detached youthwork project in Perth Scotland, and its been great, there have been challenges, ups and downs like everything, but the young people, the volunteers and staff and the work has been really enjoyable, fulfilling and rewarding. However, in September I start a new job, as a youth and community worker in Ottery St Mary Devon, something that seems a million miles from what my life is in Perth Scotland right now, in June. 
I thought that it would be interesting for me, and a therapeutic exercise, to write about the winding down of one role, one job, one family routine, the move, and the establishment of new life, routine and work in Devon, back in my homeland of England. So forgive the diarising, the highs and lows, and randomness of thoughts, you will realise that i think too deeply, love cycling too much and also get frustrated easily.