By a Strange Coincidence

I'm going to start off by telling you a joke I heard a few years ago. Q "How many Microsoft Engineers does it take to change a light buld". A None they simply declare that Darkness is the new industry standard. Not one of the world's greaest jokes I admit, but when I heard it, I believe it was an attempt by someone to make sense of the increasing amount of influence Microsoft had begun to have on all our lives.

Today I was driving to work when the local news brodcast reported that Bill Gates had announced that he was going to stand down as CEO of microsoft in 2008, not to retire, they were quick to point out, but to refocus his attention on his charitable work. Now that rang a bell cause you see in 2008, I can retire form my present job where I will by then have worked for just short of 36 years man and boy, so to speak. Like the illustrious Mr. Gates, I also have considerably bigger fish to fry, by the name of 'Celts On Fire' and whatever else God has in this great adventure called life. Iris and I are really looking forward to the relaunch of our lives and whatever challanges that may bring.

Back to my Microsoft joke for a moment in closing, you see my, hearts deepest desire is to declare the revelation of the K ingdom of God as the industry standard throughout the whole earth. I want, like the Emperor Nero to set people on fire, but not poor wretched Christians dying for their faith to satisfy the cravings of a mad man, no a passionate, devoted tribe of people called the Celts who will once again carry the fire of God into the dark places of the earth, to light the way into the presence of the most wonderful person I know. There's an old Psalm we once sang whose words put it rather well " Hast thou not seen, how thy hearts wishes have been granted, in what He ordaineth". Old word , strange phrases, but boy couldn't some of the old guys make it clear.

Please keep praying for us and perhaps we'll see you soon at a FIRE near YOU.

Love

Tom & Iris

" A step in the right direction"

When I was a young boy and up through my teens I was a member of the Boy’s Brigade, a Christian organisation dedicated first and foremost to the advancement of Christ’s kingdom among boys. From I was eleven when I moved up to the brigade proper, I attended a Sunday morning bible class. One of the hymns I found most challenging even at this age had the following words: I would not with swift winged zeal on the world’s errands go, and labour up the heavenly hill with weary feet and slow. As the Holy Spirit began His work in my life in my late teens, so these words began to increasingly challenge my thoughts at times, though with all the confidence of the young I just knew, like a lot of other things “it would never happen to me”. I woke this morning and being Saturday, had time to waken and doze and repeat the process again and again, however I found my mind turning this thought over and over so I thought I would Blog it.

You see I had my 58th birthday a couple of weeks back and I got to spend it with two of my very best friends in the entire world, Carl and of course my lovely wife and companion in life’s journey Iris.(who says she is much younger) My normal working life, if you can call it that, is closer to the end than the beginning an so I have found myself doing a little bit of stock taking. By the way melancholy, I am told, is a very Celtic trait. You see life lately has increasingly found ways to concentrate the thought patterns of both Iris and myself, little pebbles in the path, some round that simply remind you of their existence, but then there have been a few sharp ones that are a bit painful to walk over. It reminds me of the traffic jam I need to pass through each morning on my journey to Belfast, it’s called the Sydenham By-pass, or maybe more appropriately “car park” and it can take almost 15 minutes to travel the short couple of miles of it’s length. Mind you, the most irritating thing for me is that the local radio station usually broadcasts a traffic report just as I enter the turmoil telling me that traffic is busy on the By-pass. Isn’t life a bit like that at times when some well meaning friend alerts you the mess that you are already trying to walk through.

Getting back to this morning, and my thoughts about my life, the result of my deliberations is simply relying on God’s provision, to press on through my current circumstances and to trust that Father will as in times before bring times of refreshing and a little rest beside the still waters of Psalm 23.

How about you today? Are you in a season of skipping, jumping excitedly along the path with Jesus or perhaps resting, like John, with your head on the master’s bosom? No, well if you are like me finding that you need to be a little bit more focused in your determination to finish the race well. Remember Jesus promised that He would never leave us or forsake us and with your head held high and renewed zeal; take another step in the right direction.

Go in peace, journey in His mercy, and perhaps we’ll meet again along the way soon.

Love Tom & Iris

Iris's blob ramblings

Here goes the 3rd draft I managed to loose the last 2 I could almost say 3rd time lucky but as this is a word not in my vocabulary I'll not and my fingers are not crossed either but I am praying for favour with Father! We have enjoyed all the week-ends in May away from home, responibilities, ironing, washing, cleaning and shopping but we're back this week-end and all of the above lie in wait to pounce upon us or vise a versa probably wrong spelling but you know what I mean.

It was great to hear (SEE) all comments and they have certainly brightened us up. It seems to me the Celts got it right when things got confusing, complicated or just plain heavy they ran away to God hid in a cleft and waited with Dad for answers but I suppose even they had to come back and take their turn @ domestisity probably in a field or hut. We have just had a late dinner thanks to me loosing my ramblings twice did I mention that before and could I add that I moved thru evey emotion one could imagine but thankfully the keyboard did not bounce of the wall (it nearly did) and now I will go to my hut (kitchen) and clear up

Stephen Karen Misi and Carol keep in touch and we will too.

Luv and blessings to all our readers (Tom) & Iris