Stick it to the man!

Having been back in JHB for almost a week now I feel the pressure… the endless voice of the Invisible Man insisting that you need to be doing better… you need to worry about money. You need to worry about where your life’s going. You’re not performing well enough, man. You need to be making something out of your life, you’re not doing enough. Where are you going? Argh! Man, he can irritate me.

I think one of the principal things you learn while on holiday is what is of real value. And, in the end, what’s of real value is God and friends and family. That’s of real value. Really. Of course I want to enjoy my job. Of course I want to make a difference in this world. But the Kingdom of God is like a mustard seed which produces a harvest. It’s the small things that matter, the small things that are of worth, the small things that bring us joy. It’s in the small things… the free things… that you really find God. JHB can make you forget that. With it’s continuous humdrum of restlessness and pursuit of so called ‘bettering your life’ all it’s doing is making you forget what really matters.

This is why, I think, I often feel quite alone here. I’m not saying I feel LONELY, only ALONE. My week is nothing but about performing well… oftentimes, even at church. Deep down, I just want to be with my friends. I Just want to ‘be.’ Delirious used to sing a song called ‘All I want is you’ and there was a line that said “Maybe I can just call up my friends, play some music, be myself. All I want is you Lord.”

That’s really how I wish I could live my life. But so many voices around me tell me that that’s not how I ought to live. But God is amongst us when we get together as his people. Probably more than when we get together to perform a program or to DO something. I don’t really want to DO church anyway, I only want to BE it… and BE it together, with my friends, my brothers and sisters, and all those who will be my friends in the future.

The challenge is to live your life for what really matters despite what the Invisible Man says to you over your shoulders… “You’re wasting time man, life is short. You need to make your stamp on history. Make enough money for you to retire well, and your kids to do well.” These things can even sometimes sound so holy, but they’re just a red herring. In the words of the great Jack Black from School of Rock “You got to stick it to the man!” Thanks Barry Griggs for that reminder!

Back from holiday!

Well, I’m back from a totally AWESOME holiday in East London.

I went down to be at Lindsey and Shane Riley’s wedding, which – I must say – was one of the best weddings i’ve been to. Well done guys, it was really awesome and excellent being able to share the day with you guys. Plus, it was ultra cool having wraps for a wedding! And being able to dress in whatever you felt like! I was pretty stoked!

Shane, your speech was the best dude. I could have listened for another hour for sure!!

Here’s a random photo of the B&B we stayed in, about to go to the wedding. Was loving the wedding clothes! Myself on the left, then JJ and Benji and a fat little dolphin at the back. Caroline on the right. Sorry guys, now your photo’s are on the web. Ha ha! And I didn’t even ask permission!!

Thanks also to the Willis family, your hospitality is amazing!! I think that you really showed me the idea of hospitality in the Bible – it was an incredible testimony. It was awesome being with you guys, and great to hang out with JJ and Benji for a while. And all my JHB friends too.

Sorry the quality’s a little dodge, but needed to mention that we’re all king’s of poker now and if I wasn’t a Christian i’d probably make a lot of money from the casino. Ok, I know that’s cheesy, but I didn’t really know what else to say. Actually, to be honest, it was really only Jonno Warmington and John Stone who were raking up the match sticks. The rest of us were sucking pretty bad.

 What else can I say? I loved every second of it. East London is actually quite a wonderful and beautiful place. I’m feeling pretty refreshed. Back to work! Start a new job next month at last!

 Well, enough about me. Here’s the last photo. Thanks Andrea for the photo’s – she took them on a cell phone, so they’re not the best. And I hope everyone is ok with me putting photo’s of them on the www! If you’re not, get over it. Chops.

 Chopper… er, I mean, John Stone, posing like a chopper eating his bacon next to Ands.