Yesterday, much sitting in front of my computer screen. I am reading a discourse on left brain hemisphere ‘vs’ right brain hemisphere by Iain McGilcrist. His article is entitled ‘Left-brain thinking will destroy civilization’. Have a read.

So, off this morning to the Vineyard service. We had a talk on Romans 12 Verse 1.   Tally, one of the local group leaders, gave the talk. It was her first, and obviously prayerfully prepared.

Paul was writing to Jews and Gentiles alike living in Rome.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

Plenty to think about here. Does ‘living sacrifice’ sound a bit creepy. Do we want to offer ourselves to anyone else when WE know how it is done?

² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Did you know that ‘mercy’ comes from the Latin ‘mercus’ which means price paid.

Tally mentioned the need for factory re-setting as in the world of computers.  One statement stood out – with a massive joining of the dots for me. We need to reset our minds on a daily basis. I mentioned that we are surrounded  by so many lies on a daily basis including the ‘news’ that we need to defrag ourselves regularly lest the fill our minds with detritus.

I testified to a small group afterwards that I always came away from the meetings enriched. I said I had tried so many churches before but found they made me depressed. People sitting in rows facing the front did not do it for me. I have had enough. I come back week after week because this rather untidy and  apparently only semi-organized disparate group is where the spirit of God dwells most comfortably.

How can we serve God better? In my book, by keeping it simple.  Jesus came not just for the intelligent but for everyone otherwise his coming would have been an act of discrimination and indeed sadism.

There are three phases to learning

1. Naive understanding
2. A period of complexity during which we examine all aspects
3. When we realize (again) the key principles of the topic and abide by it or we give up and don’t give it another thought.

To reprise – learning and re-booting or re-setting should be a daily thing so great is the noise.  We get no advance notice when we are going to learn a lesson. I call it ‘waiting on God’.  Not waiting passively but wanting to know how next we can become of service to others. I said that the best way of overcoming loneliness is to encourage other people. It means that you have to move away from self and self pity and focus on others with unconditional love.

Return home then pick up Francoise and off to Shepton Mallet for the monthly market. We had fun. I took it upon myself to give advice to a mum and daughter who were running a stall selling cleaning products. We bought some laundry liquid for £5. I told her that she was undercharging and could easily charge £6.  I later sent her some written advises which to me seemed pretty obvious but when you are involved in something you cannot easily see the wood for the trees.

Not brilliant design (below). Confusing imagery. Could be selling pyramids. Its what comes across to the punters not what you think about it. An objective eye is necessary. A logo needs to work when it is small.

I told this lady (below)  that not only was her guitar in perfect tune, she was in perfect tune with it.  Her voice had healing qualities providing she kept to a folksy type of music.  She was thankful for the feedback. Most people do not bother to really listen.  Our humanity is the most valuable thing we have so we need to encourage it in others lest it slips away.

To the Art Bank Cafe and art centre. ‘creativity is our currency’. We LOVE the atmosphere here. Very laid back and .. well… arty. It can be found by the main square in the high street of Shepton Mallet. There was a rather chubby boy with some sort of learning difficulty. He shouted out from time to time. He could not seem to focus. His mother (grandmother) did her best. She played chess with him until he knocked the pieces around. Could I take that 24/7? First thoughts are ‘no’ but then if you have to do something…..

This is known as the Green Man in all his various forms.

From an art exhibition currently showing (a lot goes on here).

This coming Saturday they have a Motown special which I will attend.