Team time

Ahhhhhh - why am I starting this now? 

I am watching my first episode of NCIS in a loooooooong time. I LOVE it. Mark Harmon should smile more often - he looks so GOOD! ...though he is also a very handsome 'smoulderer'!....anyway, less drooling.

I do love watching these programmes...NCIS, CSI series - though not particularly Miami...I get dizzy at the number of times Horatio moves his sunglasses on and off and swings his head so dramatically to the side. It's a wonder he doesn't get nose burn and neck crick!! Hubs once got annoyed and asked why I watched so many of these progs. I said it was to see if I could find a foolproof way of murdering him - not getting caught. He was not amused at the time! But of course, I jest. I would always choose him even over Mark Harmon!

Abby, Tony, Tim, Gibbs, Ziva, Jimmy, Leon and Duckie

I realise the other reason I love these series is because of the interaction and relationships in the 'team' formed by the main characters. 

It is a team with common purpose, each member fully committed. 

Each member is so different They have their own particular strengths and weaknesses that are recognised and supported by other team members. 

They go through times of great triumph, reached by understanding one another, working together with generally good communication and commitment, utilising their skills and accepting or working with one another's shortcomings if necessary.

They have times of distress and failure, disagreement and rebellion but because of their commitment to the team purpose, they are also committed to seeing one another through all kinds of disturbance to the team spirit. They don't accept compromise and hold one another up to high standards of integrity and trust.

Within this working team environment, they solve problems, bring resolution to disaster and save the world...or...hold on...  

...Just shoot the computer because you don't know the process to deactivate the system-linked booby trap!!!!! 

GOOD OL' GIBBS! 
Sometimes the unexpected is the answer. 
(I love that character!)



SO - what's the point? 
Currently, I am thinking through some life stuff and asking God what He holds for me/us in the future.  For some time I have been aware that I have not yet answered the next question - number 4 in the list on my blogpost of 30th December last year  - 

'Which relationships, personal and professional, will you focus on improving?' 

There are some reasons for not answering this fully yet which I will write about another day but I was prompted to start thinking about the question again by seeing this quote today...

...and then by watching NCIS this evening.
I still don't fully know the answer to the question but I know I have some parameters and some ideas forming.

It won't fully depend on where we are based. I have some treasured people in my life who live or will be living outside our city but who will always be important to me, who spur me on, energise and inspire me, and who I love to be around.   

I definitely want to count people in those relationships that have the same heart for life as I do; who want me to adventure along with them - whether in life or faith; who are committed to fullness in relationship, willing to encourage in easy times and who will not shy away from the hard stuff in tough times; laugh and cry with me and who want to change the world not only right where we are but in other ways.

Not only do I want to be following people who are where I want to be but I also want to BE that person that others want to follow.

On a spiritual note, Georgian Banov wrote this inspiring article with the comment that 'Joseph was not affected by the oppressive spiritual atmospheres around him...he was too busy changing them!'

Let's go change!

This is the Life!

WOAAHHhhhhhhhh!

I have just watched a TV programme called The Billion Dollar Hotel 

It was a documentary about the Burj al Arab hotel in Dubai

It is absolutely THE most opulent hotel I have ever seen in my life - have a look here and make sure you enjoy a good browse of all that's available.

If my Kids are reading this and are quick, they could treat me to a Mother's Day Ultimate Afternoon Tea for just over £102!...though I think I would ask for the cappuccino with the sprinkling of gold dust rather than tea. Oh and another £900 if I stay the night - or splash out on a suite on the top floor for £10,000...just the one night though...oh, come on, Kids - I am worth it! You know I am. 

The thing that impressed me most though? 

It wasn't the abundance of gold and luxurious fabrics adorning every room; definitely not the artistic flying header of Rooney's that Hubs has just made me watch on the footie replay (poor man doesn't yet know that ManU lost in this semi final against the hated Arsenal!!); not the multitudinous options of luxury goods available in the hotel boutiques, all thoughtfully sourced by a wonderful concierge; nor the breathtaking aquarium prominently placed and displaying outstanding sea-life. This latter has been lovingly tended these last 13 years by an hefty but gentle expert who looks like he would be more at home in a leotard, circling a wrestling ring.

Nope. None of these. What impressed me most was the people. 

What the site blurb claims is that,

'Whatever 

you need, 

we'll go above 

and beyond 

to ensure 

your time 

with us 

is nothing 

short of 

extraordinary.'

It was true. EVERY member of staff bent over backwards to make the guests' stay the very best experience possible - from Kings and Queens who had endless financial resources to a guy working in Afghanistan who had arranged the trip of a lifetime to propose to his now-fiancee. Guests were served with grace, kindness and honour. Nothing was too much trouble. The best thing about this service was that the staff interviewed, enjoyed this aspect of their job and gave of their best at all times. I thought to myself, 'I want a job there.' The pleasure of giving pleasure and looking after folk is such a great and fulfilling reward. 

(I think that's one of the aspects of nursing I enjoyed so much!)

But meanwhile, I caught myself in this thought. 

I don't have to be in a posh job or be a rich person to make people feel special. Part of my life's calling as a child of God is that I am the light of the world; I am the salt of the earth. I make a difference because I am me. As I say to my kids, 'No-one is in the place that you are, or says the things you do, to the person you speak to, in the way that you do.' In all this, I can seek to 'go above and beyond,' leaving someone's day changed.

No-one else is me. I am unique. What does bring great encouragement, is 'doing life' for God with a bunch of people who are like-minded. I am blessed beyond measure in my blood family and my faith family. Being spurred on, encouraged, comforted and challenged by folk who want to know more of God; to see His power in us, transforming our homes and communities in and through our lives. It's great to hear people around me talking about the healings they are seeing or want to see God do through them. It spurs me on to listen to testimonies of conversations they are having with 'random' folk, bringing them the realisation that God loves and cares for them. Just the other night, Hubs and I stopped to chat to a guy we might usually have passed by in the street but that prompting of the Spirit led us to start up a conversation that released the things of God and opened a door for us to pray with him for a personal situation. Who knows how God will be speaking to him and answering that prayer?

The great thing is that we can be bold out there in the world because it isn't down to us. As Bill Johnson preached this Sunday, 

"When we minister healing, salvation and deliverance to people, 

all we are doing is 'delivering a cheque that Somebody Else wrote' "

I love that. I love the journey. I love the people I journey with and their commitment to pursuing the things of God. I look forward to seeing the Son rise over Birmingham, or wherever I am and I expect it to be nothing short of extraordinary because He is writing the 'cheques'.

This IS the life!