August 2008

Saturday, 23rd August

 Over twenty three years ago, Kay and I moved with our very young family to the USA. It was a wonderful, bewildering, challenging and confusing time. Living in Southern Oregon, we felt welcomed and disorientated in equal measure. We were driving on the wrong side of the road, using English words that often meant something quite different to the American ear, and then there was the church....

Saturday 9th August

Back in Colorado, battling the ever present jet leg (in the office at 6.30 am this morning!).

Tuesday 5th August

Rainy in Wales today. I am still at the Apostolic Conference, “Ablaze”, which has to take the world record when it comes to buying books – we virtually sold out after just two meetings. Last night I had the opportunity to connect with two good friends from the past, Elwyn and Annette Arnold and their family. I’m always encouraged when I meet people who followed Jesus decades ago – and are still passionate about being faithful to Him. Elwyn and Annette are both youth workers, and in addition to this, Elwyn is involved as a chaplain in a local prison.

Monday 4th August

Terrible journey from France to Wales yesterday. The airport in Nantes was jammed, so an hour long wait in line to check in, turbo-nappies on the plane (!) and then the M25 was completely snarled up because of the pouring rain. I finally arrived in Swansea just a little before midnight and I'm speaking twice today.

Saturday 2nd August

It's rainy in France! Have met a lot of the guests here who do the "Life Every Day' notes. One of them very kindly commented that it's like I'm a part of their life every day - they know me very well, and it feels like I ought to know them too! It struck me that it's an enormous privilige to be able to help people, many of whom I will never meet, on the journey of faith. And it also means that when writing becomes a huge challenge, and deadlines loom, it's all worthwhile.

Friday 1st August

French weather is balmy and cloudy both. It's lovely to walk around the site and notice families all having such a good time. It gets a bit foggy when all the barbies are on the go, but the smell reminds me of camping with Kay, Kelly and Richard years ago at the Oregon coast. I got chased by a raccoon - but that's another story....