It seems two minutes since I was happy that Half Term was here and now it's time for the Easter break. Yippee! Hurray! Thank goodness.
This week's not been too bad though - work's been a bit rough but the extra curricular things have made it bearable. Both my children had school concerts to appear in. My daughter was a georgeous ladybird in a comical version of Little Red Riding Hood and was word perfect and had a very red face. My son was in the choir and the samba band in his school concert and both were wonderful.
What was great was the amount of work put in by the young people and the teachers. As well as huge quanitities of natural talent there was enthusiasm, commitment, team work and a lot of fun. At a time when young people get a slamming in the press and certain newspapers would have us think that no teacher ever does anything beyond the call of duty, it is great to remember the thousands of kids and staff in schools making an effort and having a great time.
It gives me hope!
Friday, 30 March 2007
Friday, 16 March 2007
Art and Faith
Earlier this week I had a wonderful day at the Tate Modern with some good friends. Some of the stuff is weird, a small amount is obscene but some of it is truly wonderful. No matter how many times I have seen one of Monet's 'Waterlilies' in books, there is nothing like seeing the real thing. There is a wonderful electricity that seems generated by a truly great work of art - it is as though the artist has left something of their very soul in their work. Being able to see the texture of each brush stroke is such a privilege.
For me visits to art galleries are spiritual experiences - they enhance my faith because I am confronted with artist's questions or perspectives on the world and human existence. For me this leads inevitably to the big questions about God and creation and the relationship between artist and their creation. Even art that has no aspiration to be 'religious' can have a profound effect on me. Is it okay to read matters of faith in the work of someone who would not ascribe to the existence of God?
On the whole I think there are two kinds of art - good and bad. The faith/worldview of the artist is not as important as their skill, imagination and ability to translate an idea into reality.
What do you think.
For me visits to art galleries are spiritual experiences - they enhance my faith because I am confronted with artist's questions or perspectives on the world and human existence. For me this leads inevitably to the big questions about God and creation and the relationship between artist and their creation. Even art that has no aspiration to be 'religious' can have a profound effect on me. Is it okay to read matters of faith in the work of someone who would not ascribe to the existence of God?
On the whole I think there are two kinds of art - good and bad. The faith/worldview of the artist is not as important as their skill, imagination and ability to translate an idea into reality.
What do you think.
Thursday, 15 March 2007
Not having a good day
Today was not a good day.
A situation arose at work that left me really cross and frustrated and no amount of trying to focus on other stuff made me feel any better. I struggle with how to handle these sort of situations because, as a Christian I feel guilty about being cross with someone else and I often end up keeping my anger (even justifiable anger) inside. I also know that there is a spiritual (and psychological) cost in keeping a lid on things but I worry that I'll seem unprofessional, or stroppy, if I let negative feelings out.
How do other people deal with feelings that feel overwhelming, or get in the way? And is 'niceness' a face we hide behind that stops us changing the world into the place God longs for it to be?
I'm probably just making a fuss.... - is it a Christian thing, or a gender thing... or maybe it's just me????
What do you think (and no I'm not telling what happened because that really would be unprofessional!!)
A situation arose at work that left me really cross and frustrated and no amount of trying to focus on other stuff made me feel any better. I struggle with how to handle these sort of situations because, as a Christian I feel guilty about being cross with someone else and I often end up keeping my anger (even justifiable anger) inside. I also know that there is a spiritual (and psychological) cost in keeping a lid on things but I worry that I'll seem unprofessional, or stroppy, if I let negative feelings out.
How do other people deal with feelings that feel overwhelming, or get in the way? And is 'niceness' a face we hide behind that stops us changing the world into the place God longs for it to be?
I'm probably just making a fuss.... - is it a Christian thing, or a gender thing... or maybe it's just me????
What do you think (and no I'm not telling what happened because that really would be unprofessional!!)
Saturday, 17 February 2007
At last, Half Term!
It can't only be a few weeks since the Christmas holidays - it feels like months. In our house we are ready for the break - a few lie-ins, a chance to pay the garden some attention and lots of opportunities to have fun.
There's a lot to do in the house and the plan for keeping the children entertained sounds like a military exercise, the 'to-do' list is up to 12 items - suddenly this doesn't feel quite so relaxing and spacious, more a different kind of labour. Is it possible to find space in the complex arena of modern family life? Is it possible to make space for each other and to stop and smell the breeze?
The flowering cherry tree at the back of the garden is breaking into flower, the sun is out, birds are singing. Perhaps the space is found in the moment, the spontaneous, rather than in the planned and filled hours.
What helps you take a moment?
There's a lot to do in the house and the plan for keeping the children entertained sounds like a military exercise, the 'to-do' list is up to 12 items - suddenly this doesn't feel quite so relaxing and spacious, more a different kind of labour. Is it possible to find space in the complex arena of modern family life? Is it possible to make space for each other and to stop and smell the breeze?
The flowering cherry tree at the back of the garden is breaking into flower, the sun is out, birds are singing. Perhaps the space is found in the moment, the spontaneous, rather than in the planned and filled hours.
What helps you take a moment?
Saturday, 10 February 2007
Looking Back
Technology is a marvellous thing. Over the years my family has taken many thousands of photographs and at present they take up a ridiculous amount of space in our spare room. We've gone on to digital now, so we take even more piccies we just forget to look at them!
Anyhow, in an effort to make room to store other forms of tat, we are in the process of scanning all our old photos to disk - a mammoth task. But it's not the chore we thought it was going to be, because every few pages in an album produces a squeal or giggle or 'awww' (you know that slightly yukky noise parents make when looking at old pictures of their kids). It is special going back over old photo's - partly nostalgic, but also because they are of happy occasions. I've found it really cathartic, but also a challenge to keep making the most of every day.
In looking at the joy on my son's face when he was about 3 sticking old cardboard boxes together to make a dragon, or my daughter's delight at first flying a kite - I remember that simple pleasures and an excitement about the everyday little things are the things that make life special.
Back to the scanning - oh, here's one of me before my hair began to go grey - hmm, moving swiftly on....
Anyhow, in an effort to make room to store other forms of tat, we are in the process of scanning all our old photos to disk - a mammoth task. But it's not the chore we thought it was going to be, because every few pages in an album produces a squeal or giggle or 'awww' (you know that slightly yukky noise parents make when looking at old pictures of their kids). It is special going back over old photo's - partly nostalgic, but also because they are of happy occasions. I've found it really cathartic, but also a challenge to keep making the most of every day.
In looking at the joy on my son's face when he was about 3 sticking old cardboard boxes together to make a dragon, or my daughter's delight at first flying a kite - I remember that simple pleasures and an excitement about the everyday little things are the things that make life special.
Back to the scanning - oh, here's one of me before my hair began to go grey - hmm, moving swiftly on....
Thursday, 8 February 2007
Drifting with the snow
Today I had lots of plans. Despite having heard the weather forecast for the last 3 days tell me it was going to snow heavily I didn't change them - mistake! My daughter's school is shut, my son is on a skiing holiday and has less snow in Austria than in my back garden and my husband has trudged the three miles to work looking like a yeti.
Should I complain? Not really. I've rearranged all my appointments for another day, eaten hot buttered toast, drank a huge mug of hot chocolate (fairly traded organic of course) and am still snuggled up in my fleecy robe. Not only this but I have spent a good deal of time watching the snow on the jasmin bush outside my window as it builds, builds, builds and then falls off in great sloppy dollops. Suddenly the plans are not so important. What is really crucial is the snow ball fight I plan to have with my daughter, the hours watching my garden transform into a glorious landscape of brilliant soft snow and the feeling of getting warm and dry after bulding 'Melinda the Snow Girl' (a promise made in a moment of weakness).
This is transcendance, this is a glimpse of the glory of God, this is a chance to say, 'stuff all those things I meant to do - today I connect with something more elemental today I will have fun!!'
I hope if you are in a snowy place today that you are safe and warm and that you have some fun.
Should I complain? Not really. I've rearranged all my appointments for another day, eaten hot buttered toast, drank a huge mug of hot chocolate (fairly traded organic of course) and am still snuggled up in my fleecy robe. Not only this but I have spent a good deal of time watching the snow on the jasmin bush outside my window as it builds, builds, builds and then falls off in great sloppy dollops. Suddenly the plans are not so important. What is really crucial is the snow ball fight I plan to have with my daughter, the hours watching my garden transform into a glorious landscape of brilliant soft snow and the feeling of getting warm and dry after bulding 'Melinda the Snow Girl' (a promise made in a moment of weakness).
This is transcendance, this is a glimpse of the glory of God, this is a chance to say, 'stuff all those things I meant to do - today I connect with something more elemental today I will have fun!!'
I hope if you are in a snowy place today that you are safe and warm and that you have some fun.
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