They say street crime in Scotland has just hit an all time high.

The last few days have all been quite unusual; except in the kind of way that makes me think maybe it's all the other days that I see a less complete reality.

People in the street trying to predict my future, keep finding money on ground etc, meeting people I know in alleys full of pouring water, having 7 course meals by candlelight in freezing apparently derelict buildings, space hoppers and skipping ropes, champagne and scrambled egg.

Buildings are made of angles and textures.

The old people on the bus are all worried about bird flu.

"karen and i are getting rats. we have already built their pirate ship. mines gonna be called "argh"." -john

"YOU ARE NOT THE CONTENTS OF YOUR BRAIN"

"We are to praise God with dancing. Psalm 150:4"

And other accelerating visuals caught by glances through the glowing smoke and dancing family in the buoyant darkness with the beaming swirling bright lights floating through.

As the rumble of splurging noises clatter out and speak to the blood in your veins to flow, your heart to beat, your feet to know the ground, your frame to animate, and your imagination to soar, to notice you are alive, to taste and thank God. Together.

Thank you French Techno DJs.

Today I am moving to a place where I know nothing, and I have everything to learn.

"Rome was not sacked in one day."
-local graffiti

Feeling at home, dole money, daily record, allday breakfasts and mugs of tea. Man comes in and orders 2 cans of Fanta and 2 cans of Irn Bru, sits at table in front of me and drinks them slowly one by one. From time to time he addresses the whole cafe loudly, talking about Scotland these days, and teenagers, but not really angry or negative. Wee girl(5) chats to everyone too and runs around, somehow makes everyone properly smile, even at eachother, how did she do that?!

"the drugs dont work, lights will guide you home, Some people were detained under the 1971 immigration act because their presence in the country 'was not deemed to be conducive to the public good'. like a cat in a bag waiting to drown, shiny happy people, blessings are not just for the ones who kneel, and ignite your bones."
-cafe radio

"Those lucky enough to be in the path of annularity and with clear skies should look for the "beads" or "gems" that skirt the fiery ring.

These are caused by sunlight streaming through valleys and past mountains on the Moon's surface."
-bbc on todays partial eclipse, (cloudy here)

I think the two kebabs a day diet did me a whole lot of good.

est. no. of diff places slept in last 5months: 51 (thanks if one was your sofa!)

I've been to Germany before, and liked it. But this time I think I was a bit more open eyed.. Germany is an AMAZING place! The people, the trees, the artwork, the bars, the soil, the pavements, the smells, the culture, the food. Loved it!

So it's October, and year4 is well underway.

I would suggest that in all of the entire world, through the entirety of history, there has never been anyone who has either spoken as wise, world changing, and love motivated words, or lived them out so completely as Jesus Christ.

Here are a few recent thoughts:
We have an open invitation to follow Jesus, if we take this up and we choose to trust and try to follow Jesus, a whole load of exciting things happen. [understatement].

One of these is that we become a part of something bigger that we can't really ever fully understand, but that is both better and more more exciting than we could understand. A 'glorious mystery'. We become part of the Church. Because our minds cannot really cope with what this means, we have whole range of pictures to describe different aspects of this. One of these is: the body. The Body of Christ!?

Serious implications.
So I'm thinking..

This means (among other things) that any of the following people who are trying to follow Jesus, in some way taking up the invitation, are connected together in some way, and meant to function in different but complementary ways: (to care for and give their life for the world!).

Ofiice workers, contemplative hermits, mega-church televangelists, people at mass, novelists, anarchists, monarchs+presidents, soldiers, popes, farmers, bible study groups, OAPs, children, those with learning difficulties, and CEOs of multinational corporations, and... me??

How can we be all connected? Some of these people I have a deep respect for, others I would describe some of their actions as despicable. And some a bit of both.

How is it possible for me to live if I identify myself with all these people? I want to reserve the right to disown at least some of them!

Perhaps, this is one place where a need for humility kicks in. To stay true to our integrity, of what is good and what is real, we cannot possibly condone many of the actions of these people; but maybe we don't have the luxury to say "well that's not really 'the Church', it only includes the perfect bit where we are!". If we are part of the Church, we are connected to some things we could be really ashamed of. But it also means we can take some responsibility for this, we can (and I believe it is really important that we do) PROTEST.

We can speak very differently about a family that we are a part of, than a family we are not.

Even citizens of a democracy have a powerful message when they shout: "Not in Our Name!"

We can bring protests to the Church, as long as we remember that this involves bringing them to ourselves. (I will think more on this.) We can also protest to God.

This protest is for a greater goodness to come into something that we are a part of. We are not the righteous outside observers pointing out the flaws. We are guilty. We protest as those flawed, human, guilty and needing help. And if we protest against things we find in ourselves; surely only God can help us. Maybe this is part of what is meant by 'repentance'.

But this makes me very hopeful.

The Church is human, and has the full range of human problems, multiplied together because it is a collective thing (if this makes us cry, it is an appropriate response). But it also has the full range of human good potentials and beauties, also multiplied; and it is also being made good, into the scarily pure goodness, holiness, by God. And this will be completed. It is too good for us to be able to understand.