It's been a good weekend. I think I enjoyed the Saturday evening meeting most of all. We spoke prophetic words over those who had recently been baptised. Last week, one of the three had been knocked to the ground and kicked simply for wearing his cross. He seems to have taken it in his stride. Interestingly the Sunday morning sermon was about persecution. We prophecied lots in that Sunday morning meeting too: lots of stuff about the need to engage with God and not be lazy about His glory.
Funnily enough, on the Saturday night I had hoped to go to a friend's party but lack of proper sleep lately had totally wiped me out.
One of the things which has challenged me lately is the question of how community life can be more engaging for teenagers. Yesterday, I took three lads off to skim stones and walk along the wind swept shore of Draycote Water about 10 miles away from White Stone. It helped them expend some of their energy. The trouble is that at that age they so quickly decide that they are bored instead of seeking ways to pace themselves through the day. There is always something to do or someone to talk to in community, but at their age I wouldn't expect them to see that. It falls down to the adults to involve them in what they are doing or to do something with them - but often the teenagers will find those things boring too.
I find myself thinking that for both the teenagers and the adults it comes down to a choice to love, and to give themselves into the work of loving others. Love is many things, but it is never boring.
I particularly enjoyed the supper scene - busy, but everyone engaging, lots of good chatting, mixture of "saints of old" and people who were there for the first time... As Dave said later in the evening: we're taking this in our stride these days! (And it was a stroke of genius to enlist the youngsters in the washing up - an answer to the dilemma you mentioned in your blog entry...)
ReplyDeletehmm as for the boredom i have come up with the perfect solution to stop sleepy boreing sunday afternoons and for us (younger members of the house) and to stop miss comunitcation or no comunication between people. and that is that is every weekend or time people stayed weeither had a challange or a project to do then we would be occupied and we would all be doing it together so that would be a time of friendship building and bonding. this would make us a stronger household i feel if everyone got on with each other or enjoyed doing something of the same intrest! so you say what like and i say like for instance me and a few other sisters did the prayer shed well we could paint a bed room or decorate my wee room it needs it! or we could even just be set challanges like invente a new game that you will then teach and play or design t shirts (im doing that one already ooh i need some peoples sizes! remind me!)or even just like wirte a song what ever but i think its a very good idea! any one else have any other ideas?
ReplyDeleteMy Mum always said "only boring people get bored"
ReplyDeleteMy Mum always said "only boring people get bored"
ReplyDeleteso did mine but im defieely not a broeing perosn honestly not being big headed and i get bored well ealily
ReplyDelete