Neil's blog

Vincent Damon Furnier (Alice Cooper), who turns 64 on the 4th February, is one of the most famous & enduring rock stars of all time and still tours with his high-energy act. He & his band are better known as ‘Alice Cooper’ and have wowed rock fans & disgusted onlookers for over four decades. His autobiography, “Alice Cooper, Golf Monster” reminded me that I shouldn’t ‘judge a book by its cover’ or write someone off by their face.

Alice Cooper is a ‘Vaudeville Villain’ high on 'shocking showbiz', his concerts present a series of acts in which he becomes the type of character you love to hate, his aim to shock and entertain. The trouble comes when you take his act at ‘face value’ and view it as real life rather than the fantasy it really is. He claims that the play ‘Macbeth’ has the same sort of murder & mayhem you find in his acts, but that people don’t bat an eyelid because it’s ‘Shakespeare’!

Cooper speaks of his wrestle with the demon drink and alcoholism, which would’ve killed him had he not checked into rehab’ and, at the second attempt, been ‘healed’ (his word) of his destructive dependency. He now attends weekly church services, is a substitute Bible Class teacher and a mad keen golfer (a new healthier addiction?).

On Sunday we had the pleasure of welcoming staff & past residents of Victoria House (neighbouring Homeless Hostel) into our annual ‘Homelessness Sunday’ Service. Andrea (10 year staff member), spoke of her own homelessness in London and long journey (with the help of others) to where she is now, passionate about helping people find their way from fear & insecurity into a place called home. Looking at Andrea now you would never imagine she has such a story to tell, but there is always more to people than meets the eye.

After the service someone, wrestling with addiction and waiting to enter rehab’, quietly spoke of his past failure to make rehab’ work. He now saw that he was taking steps closer to Jesus and growing in determination to change, with God’s help.

It reminds me of Alice Cooper’s comment, “Drinking beer is easy. Trashing your hotel room is easy. But being a Christian, that's a tough call. That's rebellion.”

Presently under the soil seeds & bulbs are quietly sending out roots & shoots, soon to surface and show in spectacular Spring. Bleak, black soil, bare, barren & not a little boggy with winter’s wettest, will soon give way to green & blooming beauty. As long dark days let a little more light in each 24 hours, anticipation of a pregnant creation’s birthing of beauty grows.

But some people’s winter can last a lot longer than a few months! In the hope of encouraging any presently plodding through a dark night of the soul, let me tell you about Linda Godfrey, an Irvine lass who trekked through years of darkness to reach a bright new start this week. About 10 years ago she sensed God’s calling to a job of helping people relate to God and God relate to people, through Christ’s Love. However, a process of training, which should’ve taken 5 years, took 10 instead. There were many times when there seemed no way through & it looked like God didn’t care any more, long periods when nothing good seemed to happen. That’s how it felt, but by the Grace & Love of God consistently & faithfully shown through caring people & Linda’s great determination, she journeyed through numbness & pain to where she is today: minister to the dear people & parishes of Dalrymple linked with Ayr: St Leonard’s.

Last Thursday we celebrated with Linda at her ordination & induction service. From the photo you can see the infectious joy, which all of us who know Linda share, and we wish her & her flocks God’s very best as they prove that Jesus is Good News, showing & sharing God’s Love & Light in their neighborhoods!

As someone in the Bible put it, addressing God after travelling through deep sorrow & heartache, “Your anger lasts a little while, but your kindness lasts for a lifetime. At night we may cry, but when morning comes we will celebrate.” (Psalm 30:5 / CEV). Blessed are the plodders for they shall be applauded!

So how’s your early January determination to visit the gym more often, eat less chocolate, drink less alcohol, do less or more, be more passionate, more caring, more whatever? It’s about now that reality-checks click in and much solid New Year resolve turns to mush.

I haven’t made specific resolutions but I have found myself recommitting to my own personal ‘mission statement’. If you were to put into one sentence what you want to be all about in life and living, what would it be?

Mine is, “To share God’s (unconditional) Love, help people take steps closer to Jesus, and make disciples (committed followers of Jesus).” At home, work & play this what I aim to be about. Very easily I get distracted and lost chasing my tail or too wrapped up in myself, so it’s good to be reminded of such a stick, with which to measure my living.

As J Engel points out, many people in the West are far from even contemplating the existence of a God who might care for them, never mind interested in an intimate loving relationship with God. It can take a lifetime for one to travel from violent opposition to God to being open to God’s existence. There’s no doubt that consistent, gracious, loving, caring kindness by others can help open people up to faith in a Gracious God. Here’s how the Engel’s scale works, it taking about 12 life experiences to move them into a living faith:

-12 I’m passionately opposed to the idea of God
-10 I don’t like discussing faith issues at all
-8 There are Christians I know and/or respect, but Christianity isn’t for me
-6 I believe Christianity/churches can be good, but I don’t want to be involved
-4 I’m happy now to discuss faith and attend Christian celebrations
-2 I believe a lot of Christianity, but still have some doubts
-1 I believe in God but don’t consider myself a “Christian”
0 I’ve accepted Christ as my soul Saviour & Boss, but practice it privately
+2 I am a follower of Jesus and routinely attend church meetings
+4 I’m committed to teaching others about life in Christ

Wherever you see yourself on or beyond this scale, my prayer is that this year will see you coming closer to The One who wants to wrap you in his everlasting arms and grow you up into his royal daughter or son! So, what are you going to be all about in 2012?

It’s been right ‘Windy Miller’ in Scotland lately has it not!? I hope you haven’t been too adversely affected! In the attached photo we have a calmer scene at Irvine Harbour, with the scenic estuary in the foreground and wind turbines on the distant hills.

The wind turbines lining our hills & coasts cause controversy. To some they’re eye soars and blots on the landscape, to others ‘majestic towers’ whirling with wind in their wings, generating much needed energy to power our world’s needs. But when the propellers of these massive whirligigs grind to a halt through no wind, close up they’re lanky, lumbering, clumsy and totally out of place; stationary, to my eye, they’re lifeless, graceless and useless!

Wind is a strange phenomenon the way it comes and goes, invisible but for its impact on moveable objects. Have you ever just lain on the ground and watched puffy white clouds galloping above you in the wake of wild wind? Have you ever been caught in a fearful storm and buffeted about by a mighty power beyond your control or perhaps appreciated a gentle breeze on a hot summer’s day?

I have to say that without the wind of God’s Spirit my life can be as ugly as an inactive & inept wind turbine, but with the power of God’s loving Spirit all things are possible! Jesus said to Nicodemus, “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." John 3:8 (NIV)

I’ve noticed another thing about these giant wind-mills, they need to be pointing at the wind to channel the full benefit of its power. It’s worth taking a little time each day to ensure we’re open to and facing God’s Spirit.

How are you at sums? Do you use a calculator or add in your head; what about ‘keeping a diary’ & ordering your days? I would be lost without my wee book diary. I’d also be missing without God’s lead in counting days up right. Six days to labour & a seventh to chill out, enjoy with loved ones, & centre on God again.

“Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” echoes the Bible prayer into our brand new 2012 (Psalm 90:12). Jesus taught us to count our days ‘one at a time’. Lena Martell sang it,

“One day at a time sweet Jesus
That's all I'm askin' of you
Just give me the strength
To do every day what I have to do
Yesterday's gone sweet Jesus
And tomorrow may never be mine
Lord, help me today, show me the way
One day at a time.”

St Paul taught us to number our days with gratitude, grateful for what we ‘do’ have rather than distracted by what we don’t or can’t have.

In the face of daily challenge & difficulty, R Niebuhr’s prayer helps us, when things get complicated, to trust in God’s Love and enabling Power.
“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
 and wisdom to know the difference.”

Happy Counting in 2012!?