London Baby

I am leaving for London tonight and I am filled with such anticipation. I have not been in Europe since 2003, but I have fond memories of my last visits. I will spend most of my time working on 13thFloor's charity status paperwork, finalizing documents for our office and living quarters. There is so much to get done. I am exhausted just thinking about all there is to do but to quote a familiar line from Friends, "I'm going to London baby!"

I am going back

Well it's official I am going to London for 13thFLOOR (Oh by the way that's the name for what used to be C-Kruis)! I just bought my ticket. There are brochures to design and proposals to draft in preparation for the trip…funny it doesn't feel real. In six days I will be surrounded by double-deckers, the tube and other British paraphernalia. I cannot wait!

Digitally Enhanced Bliss

Thanks to the inventions of techno-rats, I had some amazing conversations with friends that are part of my emotional family. I do not think that I have felt this content and blissful in a while. Friends that form part of my emotional family have a way of enhancing my life like nothing else. You know those people who just get "it" about you and need no explanation when it comes to that "it" no matter what the circumstances. I feel like a can do and face anything when I feel loved and understood by my friends.

"How's your heart?" That's the question my soul longs to hear and ask. These friends know how to access the fragile parts of me, holding it tenderly and lovingly without reservation. When I do the same for them, I discover joy. We ask in our unique ways with different words but the essence is the same, "how are you doing at the core of all that defines who you are?" That is the question that many long to be asked by someone of significance and to have them listen, really listen with from their core. Something happens when you are seen and see others at this level of reality. It is almost like touching something divine and secret.

So I sip my wine and toast this sweet feeling of genuine bliss.

Free to be what?

Today I sat in a teaching about freedom and living your life as a Christian is suppose to be one of freedom. The usual stuff was mentioned you know when they talk about the extremes and how it is bad for you. Stuff most of us have heard before.

Whether you are the type of person who spends all their energy following a prescribed set of rules to avoid formidable consequences or if you are the type who follows what ever impulse pops up with out consideration of any one but yourself, both extremes lead to a situation where you are focused on solely on you. Therefore, only can make your world right, perfect and acceptable.

But then I started to think…is that it? Is it just about avoiding the extremes? Then I thought maybe Jesus was not talking about freedom from something, what if he was talking about freedom to something?

What if freedom incorporates a "freedom to"? What if being in the middle allows us a place of freedom. Somewhere between discipline and self-indulgence, there has to be a place where you can just be free to love people with all your heart the way they need to experience your love. Or free to find one church completely unfulfilling, and another an amazing place of worship and fellowship, without being negative about the former. The picture I have a Jesus is that he was free to leave the temple and spend time with the dregs of society and he was free to ignore the scrutiny of others for doing so. I think so much of Christianity has been about choking the joy out of life and trying to call it freedom, but I think Christ may have seen it differently.

What do you think?

It is Approaching!

In 9 days I will turn 42 (I know The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy fans are having a chuckle). I am not sure what I expect or how I might feel. Age has never really been and issue with me. I actually enjoy being older for the most part. The only draw back is that your body and head do not always see eye to eye. Your mind tells you that you can still attend dance classes 5 days a week with no problem, so you do it just as you have done before. You enjoy that first class. No sweat! You are energized and excited. After about the third class your body informs you that your recent escapade resulted in a painful deficit, because your mind wrote a check that your body cannot cash! Pain sets in places that you never thought or imagined could hurt. But you think it's just because I am out of practice and I need to push through. But again the body reprimands and let's you know that you are not 12 anymore and you need to readjust your plan of action!

Other than that I am looking forward to my 43^rd trip around the sun. Not quite sure how I want to celebrate it this year as it may be my last birthday in South Africa. Part of me wants to have a big bash but another part wants to be chill and alone. I change according to my mood several times a day. My 42 years have been a wild ride but I get the feeling that was just the introduction. I look forward to what's next!