Amazing Grace
Once again we come to that rare moment where I post something sentimental on my blog. I promise this will not become a regular occurance, and if you don't want to see the result, look away now.
Spent the weekend thinking about God. I'll admit this isn't something I do very often (spend a whole weekend doing it, I mean.) Maybe I should. If nothing else, I'm sure it's good for your health, in that it must surely boost your immune system. I'm sure you will all disprove that theory, and await the statistics gathered by the University of East Accrington (I'm sure there is one, or if not, there will be soon,) but anyway, I am currently one chilled out little blogger.
Actually we were there to explore the theme of the Grace of God. As most of you have probably stopped reading at this point, I won't go into some deep theological examination of what that might be (er, actually I wasn't planning on doing that anyway.) But, whatever you believe, there are wonderful, often everyday things that pass us by or happen to us all the time without us even noticing, because we don't have time, or we don't think they're there, or because we're simply not looking. Think of the bloke filming the plastic bag in "American Beauty" and you get some idea of what I'm uneloquently babbling about. These things can be anything from a wren trying to pick up a tiny twig as I march past it on Regents Park on my trek to work, to someone smiling at you on public transport (actually you usually do notice that, either because it's such a rare occurence, or because the owner of the smile is a bit creepy.) I'm sure one of the reasons everyone's so bloody miserable these days is that we're always waiting for big things to happen to excite us and stimulate us, be at an exotic holiday or a lottery win. In real life, however, until I win the lottery and can afford an exotic holiday, I'm enjoying the small pleasures of walking down Marylebone High Street with the Clash pounding through my MP3 player, my boss laughing at my jokes (yeah, he's a nice guy), people posting interesting things on my blog, experimenting in the kitchen, writing "Home" (the follow-up to the first book, neither of which will ever be published), reading new books, quiet drinks with friends (well, "quiet" is a relative term. Generally any gathering that involves me, and especially me and beer, is not quiet.) Basically, I am so, so happy to be alive - this is what some call the Grace of God.
Not impressed? I scrawled down a few less mundane ones:
- a friend of mine's sister who went into hospital last Thursday with encephalitis and came out on Sunday pretty much well again.
- the guy in the homeless shelter who came in with a big smile on his face waving a copy of "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" and exclaiming "fucking brilliant, man! There's a fucking three-foot mouse in this with a fucking sword! Fucking brilliant!"
- the guy on the train with us on Friday who, unprompted, started an interesting conversation with us that lasted for most of the journey.
- the binman in Manchester who was on "Home Truths" a few weeks ago who collects discarded wallets and handbags and goes to great pains - unrewarded - to return them to their owners.
- Francesca Martinez, the fantastic ex-Grange Hill (but don't let that put you off) Comedienne who did a set for us at our Diversity Day. (If you get a chance, you must go and see her.)
- the beauty of the natural world - all the trees and birds and flowers and everything else (except maybe pigeons.)
...on a semi-related note, with the TV buzzing away in the background, I couldn't help but overhear Jeremy Clarkson say "God could probably not help but feel proud of North Yorkshire when he'd finished it." OK. Whatever turns you on.
I could go on.
I won't, and to change the tone, all of you, especially Rachel (and anyone else who wants/has a kitten) go to this website.
My life has not enlivened since the weekend - I am sitting on the sofa writing short stories and listening to REM - but it's still great.
(OK, I'm back to normal again. That's enough sentimentalism for now. It's safe to start reading again.)
Spent the weekend thinking about God. I'll admit this isn't something I do very often (spend a whole weekend doing it, I mean.) Maybe I should. If nothing else, I'm sure it's good for your health, in that it must surely boost your immune system. I'm sure you will all disprove that theory, and await the statistics gathered by the University of East Accrington (I'm sure there is one, or if not, there will be soon,) but anyway, I am currently one chilled out little blogger.
Actually we were there to explore the theme of the Grace of God. As most of you have probably stopped reading at this point, I won't go into some deep theological examination of what that might be (er, actually I wasn't planning on doing that anyway.) But, whatever you believe, there are wonderful, often everyday things that pass us by or happen to us all the time without us even noticing, because we don't have time, or we don't think they're there, or because we're simply not looking. Think of the bloke filming the plastic bag in "American Beauty" and you get some idea of what I'm uneloquently babbling about. These things can be anything from a wren trying to pick up a tiny twig as I march past it on Regents Park on my trek to work, to someone smiling at you on public transport (actually you usually do notice that, either because it's such a rare occurence, or because the owner of the smile is a bit creepy.) I'm sure one of the reasons everyone's so bloody miserable these days is that we're always waiting for big things to happen to excite us and stimulate us, be at an exotic holiday or a lottery win. In real life, however, until I win the lottery and can afford an exotic holiday, I'm enjoying the small pleasures of walking down Marylebone High Street with the Clash pounding through my MP3 player, my boss laughing at my jokes (yeah, he's a nice guy), people posting interesting things on my blog, experimenting in the kitchen, writing "Home" (the follow-up to the first book, neither of which will ever be published), reading new books, quiet drinks with friends (well, "quiet" is a relative term. Generally any gathering that involves me, and especially me and beer, is not quiet.) Basically, I am so, so happy to be alive - this is what some call the Grace of God.
Not impressed? I scrawled down a few less mundane ones:
- a friend of mine's sister who went into hospital last Thursday with encephalitis and came out on Sunday pretty much well again.
- the guy in the homeless shelter who came in with a big smile on his face waving a copy of "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" and exclaiming "fucking brilliant, man! There's a fucking three-foot mouse in this with a fucking sword! Fucking brilliant!"
- the guy on the train with us on Friday who, unprompted, started an interesting conversation with us that lasted for most of the journey.
- the binman in Manchester who was on "Home Truths" a few weeks ago who collects discarded wallets and handbags and goes to great pains - unrewarded - to return them to their owners.
- Francesca Martinez, the fantastic ex-Grange Hill (but don't let that put you off) Comedienne who did a set for us at our Diversity Day. (If you get a chance, you must go and see her.)
- the beauty of the natural world - all the trees and birds and flowers and everything else (except maybe pigeons.)
...on a semi-related note, with the TV buzzing away in the background, I couldn't help but overhear Jeremy Clarkson say "God could probably not help but feel proud of North Yorkshire when he'd finished it." OK. Whatever turns you on.
I could go on.
I won't, and to change the tone, all of you, especially Rachel (and anyone else who wants/has a kitten) go to this website.
My life has not enlivened since the weekend - I am sitting on the sofa writing short stories and listening to REM - but it's still great.
(OK, I'm back to normal again. That's enough sentimentalism for now. It's safe to start reading again.)
posted by RLS at 7:52 pm
9 Comments:
That's all very well, but what's God got to do with it?
Surely the binman story is all the more inspiring if he doesn't have some beardy fucker making him do it, and is doing it off his own bat, and the doctors that cured your friends encephalitis might be pretty pissed off if they found out that you attributed their hard work to God - again, the story is all the better if one supposes that these humans were working hard unselfishly for another and succeeded in saving her.
Even Yorkshire - Why does giving God the credit make it better, personally I find it incredibly uplifting and life enhancing to realise that something as beautiful as North Yorkshire or Dartmoor, or a rose, for example, could be created simply by the world we live in, by algorithms and chance working in perfect harmony. THat argues that every little bit of our world is special, whereas intelligent design detracts from the beauty that can be found everywhere in our world.
Tis true that I'm no Goddy type gal, but I understand the gist of what you're saying. Ultimately that we should appreciate life and what we've got and that there are plenty of things to be thankful for and see wonder in. Like Cheesm I don't attribute this to the wonder of a God, just the wonder of life - but the sentiment is what's important. That life has greatness.
Cheesm
I did warn you - you didn't have to read it!
I'm sure the doctors cured my friend, but the fact that they did, and she's ok, makes you appreciate life, doesn't it?
I don't especially care whether you attribute stuff to God or not. My point is, the world is great, and we ought to bloody well stop and take notice of it once in a while.
And who said I believed in intelligent design?!?
PS You also seem to be implying all doctors are atheist, which is simply bollocks.
I'm not implying all Doctors are atheist - but for the record, if I ever have surgery and someone sees the Doctor involved praying beforehand, please get me another Doctor.
Hello
You should see if you can put that on your records - you know, like Do Not Resuscitate. Let's hope you never need to be operated on, either way.
J.
i think that px is saying that the "working in perfect harmony" is, for her, the harmony of God. i happen to agree.
as for your doctor, cheesm, just pkck somebody who knows they're doing. oh, and praying isn't always an obvious action. so there.
Kat
Like the picture - have you ever visited www.kittenwar.com ?
Px
ooo. how about mycathatesyou.com ? it's fantastic.
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