Early morning prayer...

Yesterday I awoke to the sound of Radio 4 at about 7am, and promptly began my regular Sunday morning prayer session. This is something I have found easy to apply myself to and, in fact, have found it a very natural thing to do first thing on a Sunday morning before leading the musical worship at the meeting. It is, after all, the Lord's day.

In case you'd like to learn it, it goes like this:
"Oooooooohhhhh Looooooooorrrrrrrrrrrrd, pleeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaase don't let this be what I think it is. Pleeeeeeeeeaase let this be a dream. Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeease can I STAY IN BED???? Amen?"

Ha ha! And I MEAN it too! I am absolutely not a morning person (ask my wife...no, actually, don't...) and that's with the SAD light that lights up before I do.***

In these moments of purity I do remember, however, that later I will be glad I got up and dragged myself to Central Hall. And so it was yesterday - what a wonderful time we had! I don't say this to honour myself, but to honour God. I point out my regular prayer session lest you imagine that I am any more than flesh, blood and willing spirit! But God. But God. But God.

His presence was tangible, it is one I will remember.

The rhythm of God is always there. Sometimes we hear it, sometimes we don't. It had no beginning and it has no end. Sometimes we hear it, sometimes we don't.

Yesterday I think we we heard it :-)


*** Seasonal Affective Disorder: either a real physiological condition presenting as low mood due to lack of sunlight, or an excuse for being a grumpy so-and-so throughout Autumn and Winter. All I can say is that the SAD light next to my bed has made a big difference. You should've seen me before!!!

Now every Monday, possibly...

I like Sim's idea of blogging every Monday so I'll give it a go - I think he's tapping away right now!

So, here's my heart rate from yesterday's Marwell Zoo 10k run. Even my shoulders are aching today...

The big rise at about 4km is where I soooo nearly gave up and walked, it was a killer (for me) hill but I knew that I'd be gutted if I stopped and would be kicking myself later and I JUST managed to keep going. After that the course is pretty much all gently downhill. You finish on a couple of hundred yards uphill stretch, though, to cross the line in agony - that's when my HR peaked at 203...

Races always make me think cheesy thoughts about life, you know: the victory when you think you're going to give up but you push through, the top of the hill WILL come, the pain IS bearable, I will NOT vomit, you know the stuff!

There's a lot of faith involved - faith that you will feel BETTER in a km or two, that you CAN do it, that you ARE strong enough to keep going, and I did pray in tongues up that hill for God's help to get me there, and He did.

Experience is crucial too, call it learned wisdom. I know that last time I felt this bad on a hill, it DID pass and I DID keep going, I've been here before and He brought me through then as He will now.

Now, I'm not pretending that my struggle was a real life struggle, but I do find it interesting how it mirrors, on a macro scale, bits of life.

You are the hungry