Not on MSN

Today as I was sitting in a training seminar for a camp I will work at over easter the sun shone in through the windows. I longed to be outside and walking around. Once we were released (1/2 an hour late, Irish time is not by the clock) I strolled towards the shoping district to take in people and wander around the shops, lusting over fantastic European shoes. As I walked along a side street I began to realize that none of the shops were open and people were gathering in clumps at my intended destination.
Once I arrived at the major clump I stood on a statue pedistal to learn what was blocking the crowd.
Turns out that to my unawares (I have had my head in the ground) a march by "Orange Men" aka the "Love Ulster" aka the "Unionists" was planned with marching bands and what not. Well I am not very versed on Irish politics but shortly put some 'hooligans' threw a fit, police (garda) were hurt, rubish burned and some chaos insued.
Not that anyone outside of Ireland and the UK would know.
Once I made my way back to my residence - avoiding major streets - I came up here to my little wireless spot to get a clue as to what the ruccus was about and I discovered that only Irish and BBC web sites were writing on it and the television could careless.
I don't quite know what to make of all of it the violence I saw - and the lack of media attention - However I have realised that I need to pay attention to the world around me and see that very presently the Irish are torn up about their identity.

go to http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/story.asp?j=173973226&p=y7397393z
for the story.

My area of town about 5 blocks away is peaceful but empty.
My phone was on its last dot of battery so unfortunately I couldn't take any pictures.

Roof top experience

I have found a secret place that has free internet!
The sun is shining - I'm all alone
the wind is blowing, spring calls to me

Later today I will explore the shore with a friend.

God's grace abounds

Rugby, tea, and storytelling

The name actually says it all this time.
Saturday afternoon in the pub watching rugby
writting my thoughts down
and drinking tea - with milk -
Rugby is a fantastically violent sport - and satisfying because the clock never stops.

Really I'm just here to sit and be - to let the week's bussiness leakout.

two exciting developments:
1) I get to lead my teammates in a workshop on telling our stories.
2) I get to teach a drama class to 6-8 year olds on saturdays.
3) I am going to take an acting class.

Absolutely

Me

the revolving depth of the duality

a teacher here challenged me to seek the beauty of the Irish and their land
another challenged me to ask God to reveal himself to me -
-thus revealing my sin and need for Christ's righteousness.

The glory of God in this land is its ablity to encorporate beauty into every aspect.
The Irish language (which I did not know existed) is layer upon layer of lyric mystic poetry.
The land is eternally green (due to the moderate climate, green never dies)
The people are gourgeous - physically fair skined and dark hair
- but the true beauty is what you read in their eyes
- their eyes speak to my heart and linger in the vision of my mind.
I will see this kind of beauty in Christ's eternal glory.

On the other side - my internal world continually screams chaos
- as usual my propensity towards the dramatic guides my heart.
Standard practice, as I daily sommersault through my brain, is to show my shortcomings no grace. Well this past week I got really sick - first strep and then a sinus cold. I came really short - on all kinds of comings - and God spoke to me through others taking care of me and showed me to show myself grace.
Now I am all better and God and I are just peachy!