And the psychiatrist said....

"You don't have ADD."

Oops, sorry. Self-diagnosis via Google doesn't work.

But she said I did have some sort of depression which is not being dealt with by my present tablets. So she is recommending to the doctor that I change medication.

We'll see what that does.

A little note: She was younger than me, and that was quite a shock.

Praying Through

The Primitive Methodists knew a lot about prayer. They believed in praying through.

In other ways they prayed until they knew they had they answer. That happened to me this morning.

One short prayer and I knew it would be answered:

Unlock the cage of my mind so that I can write.

Watch this space.

Greenbelt 3

Last day here at Cheltenham Race Course. I can't believe it.

It's been great just mooching round looking at what God is doing in and through the arts. And that's a lot.

I set off this morning intending to hear the composer Sir John Taverner talk about his music. But I ran into Jonny Baker (pixelated left) who remembered my talk with him at Durham last July. I was impressed. He invited me to the relaunch of Proost.co.uk at the CMS tent.

I tried Taverner but he was boring. Just mumbling into the microphone, and revealing some very dodgy theology. I left him and went to see the relaunch instead. Much more interesting. Have a look at the website.

This afternoon I had a go at Psalm Reading but I started falling asleep towards the end. Was I tired or was I bored? Perhaps both. But on the whole I am still enjoying Greenbelt. I'm enjoying it enough to pay £2 for a cup of coffee and half an hour of blogging anyway.

I saw the guy who does Fresh Expressions in Bradford. He said for Wendy Thornton to get in touch with him before she does her presentation on the subject at IMC on Saturday 15 September.

Greenbelt 2

OK I know this Christian arts festival is spiritual rather than Christian and liberal rather than conservative but I'm sure getting a lot out of it.



I have heard some really good talks on writing, literature and philosophy. Today I met a group I would like to know more about. Veritasse aims to promote Christianity in and through the fine arts. Just like me.



Finding Veritasse was one of those God-moments. I stumbled upon their tent as I made my way round an area of Greenbelt I hadn't been in before.

What a revelation it was to see modern art depicting the Christian faith and to meet the founder, Adrian Meller. He and I understood each other straight away. It felt like home.

Greenbelt

I motored down here to the Cheltenham Race Course yesterday. I am now on my second day at the Greenbelt Arts Festival. The theme is Heaven in Ordinary.



I'm staying with my Dad in Painswick and coming down here for the afternoon and evening. Most of my time is spent wandering around or listening to talks.



So far I have heard Andrew Tate talk about Heaven in Modern Literature.

Rachel Jones led a short story workshop to which I contributed this micro-fiction:-





The Final Step



"Watch your step." he said.

"These Dales are beautiful" she thought, "But they're also treachorous"

"What do you mean?" she said.

And he was gone.

She stood alone.

Again.



Rachel Jones said it was concise and economic.



I know I'm meant to be here and God is speaking to me. Pray that I will hear Him clearly.

Unearthing treasures

Earlier this year when I was helping my Dad move out of his house into sheltered accommodation I unearthed some real treasures. I found a nice suitcase he didn't need any more, and a few other things. But the most precious treasure I found was a letter.



It is the first letter I wrote as a Christian. I wrote it from Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, the day after I gave my life to Jesus. It was written one week and one day after I left England to seek my fortune Down Under. A lot happened in that week as you will read in the letter.



I am going to transcribe it for you.

3 Greenway Ave
Lenah Valley
Hobart
Tasmania 7008
22nd Feb 1974

Dear Mum and Dad

Something wonderful has happened. I have found what I came looking for. Not a job, not plenty of money, but God. Yesterday I became a Christian. I realised it was the Holy Spirit that brought me here to Hobart and I also realised that I just had to accept Jesus Christ as my Saviour. So I did. I cannot explain how wonderful I feel.

You will remember that I wasn't able to give you any definite reason for coming here. That was because I could not face the truth. Deep down inside I knew that God was bringing me here, but I was too embarrassed to say it. More than that, I did not really understand. It was the same at the Airport. I really did not want to go, but I knew I had to. Once I got here and the Christian Renewal Centre, I knew why I had come. I have never felt so certain of anything in my life. That was on Sunday.

One night I prayed with Mary until 2.00 a.m. On the next day I thought about it all day. The same the next day, and it gradually became clearer. Yesterday I went back to the Centre and professed my faith in Jesus. It was wonderful. I can face anything now, even death, without fear. Well, I suppose this will be a great shock to you. I hope it will be more of a wonderful surprise. What a week! To fly 12,000 miles and become a Christian! This will have given you a lot to think about. I hope you will write and tell me what you think. I must now write and tell Sheila. I pray she won't have a fit!!

By the way, I have also seen how much I take for granted from you. Thank you for all you have done for me, and will do for me. I love you both very much. I hope you realise that.

Love,

Pete

To explain: Mary is my Christian friend in Hobart and Sheila is my sister.

I had unearthed a precious treasure when I found this letter in my Dad's house, but it is nothing compared to the treasure I had uncovered the day before I wrote that letter.

See Matthew Chapter 13 Verses 44,45 & 46.

Star Gazing

I spent last night under the stars. Not out in the open but as near as I could get.

When I skipped to the loo last night, as I often do, I realised that this was one of the few nights this summer when we could see stars. Not in the sense of dazed but gazed.

So I went downstairs into our conservatory (see Wikipedia article) and looked out. What a lovely sight met my eyes. We don't suffer from light pollution here and I could see a myriad lights above me.

What did I do? I opened up the blinds and lay all night on the couch gazing up through the glass roof. Wonderful.

These words came to mind:

When I consider your heavens,

the works of your fingers,

the moon and the stars,

which you have set in place,

what is man that you are mindful of him,

the son of man that you care for him?

You made him a little lower than the angels

and crowned him with glory and honour.

Psalm 8 verses 3,4&5

[God] took [Abram] outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars - if indeed you can count them."

Genesis Chapter 15 verse 5

Hands that flung stars into space,

To cruel nails surrendered.

Graham Kendrick

Funnily enough while all this romantic star gazing was going on I had left the bedside light on and it was keeping Audrey awake. I was completely unaware of this, the memory having been driven from my mind by starlight.