es vedra

i went with the last team to Es Vedra. It's really beautiful. The rock is apparently the 3rd most magnetic place on the planet and there are lots of myths surrounding it. The cove below is called Atlantis and is also quite famous but you gotta climb down the cliff to get to it!We went to see the view from one of the remaining watchtowers (there used to be ones on every high point around the island). It was good to be up high. The new blog title photo is from there. I like standing on the edge of high places. it's a bit of an addiction. i know other people hate to watch! :-)

jars of clay (continued)

i like it when things (that you've been thinking about) tie together. just read this tonight in "Jesus for President" by Shane Claiborne and Chris Haw:

"Yahweh continues to be careful to choose the weakest, most unlikely characters to be the heroes of the liberation story, lest we be tempted to think we did it ourselves, with our own power or might or ingenuity. It is clear that God was the one fighting for these people [the Israelites] whom no one else would fight for. God can use the sea to swallow up armies, and God can use music worship and dance to topple the walls of fortified cities like Jericho". (page47).

shipwrecked sunrise

shipwrecked is a party on a boat, mainly attended by workers, which leaves at 6:30 am from San Antonio and goes along the coast until about 10:30am. so... dancing on deck to a DJ and live saxophonist trying to balance on the plastic chairs as the sunrises. sweet.

here are the lyrics of the tune playing on the film clip... powerful...

Give me release Witness me, I am outside

Give me peace

Heaven holds a sense of wonder

And I wanted to believe that I'd get caught up when the rage in me subsides

Passion chokes the flower until she cries no more

Possessing all the beauty hungry still for more

Heaven holds a sense of wonder

And I wanted to believe that I'd get caught up

When the rage in me subsides

In this white wave

I am sinking

In this silence

In this white wave ... in this silence ...I believe I can't help this longing

...comfort me I can't hold it all in ...if you won't let me ...

Heaven holds a sense of wonder

And I wanted to believe that I'd get caught up

When the rage in me subsides

In this white waveI am sinking

In this silence

In this white wave ...in this silence I believe I have seen you ...in this white wave you are silent

You are breathing in this white wave ...I am free

('Silence' - Delerium)

jars of clay and words

"For God who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all surpassing power is from God and not from us"

it's ok to be weak. because it's what's inside me that is of value. it does not come from me. this is a relief. it's ok to be broken. the light can then escape through the cracks.

Isaiah, Jeremiah, Moses, Gideon... they all had doubts. doubted their ability to do what God asked of them. before they would step out they had to be reminded of who the One who spoke to them was, and therefore of their true identity as one rooted in Him.

Jeremiah: "i do not know how to speak, i am only a child"

God: "do not say 'i am only a child'. you must go to everyone i send you to and say whatever i command you. Do not be afraid of them for I am with you and will rescue You... Now, i have put words in your mouth"

...which got me thinking about words. (again!). and how important they are. and while the way we live makes a massive statement about what is inside us - in terms of our beliefs, our worldview, our priorities, etc - it is really only words that can give that picture depth and shape. James says the tongue is like a rudder, steering the whole ship. words build up and words destroy. can have a massive effect on the way a person views us, themselves, life, God... we all have a responsibility for what comes out our mouth. proverbs say a wise man is of few words. i don't want to treat my words lightly. so, God, give me the words.

24-7 goes wild

sometimes you just have to dance

and everything feels a whole lot better.

i danced the most i have in ages today - about 10 hours in total. at the biggest worker's party of the year - "SHIT 08" - which raised money for Caritas and was held in the old zoo and was fancy dress. people were really creative with their outfits... will put photos up tomorrow.

i went as a pirate. i really enjoyed dancing with my wooden sword.

it was pretty surreal from a sober, drug free point of view... i can't imagine what it would have been like for everyone else, who definitely weren't in the same state of mind. according to loads of people's signs and/or body paint, ketamine is deemed the cool thing to do. why why why? IT IS VERY NOT COOL.

afterwards we went to the back room at Eden for the after party (we'd started early afternoon). i danced the way i've always wanted to, but never seem to have the right space/shoes/music/confidence/company... like putting my whole body into it, jumping around, trying out stuff i learnt from breaking at uni last year. LOVE IT. feel tired and satisfied now. yey.