The Journey

Last Saturday night we were all Fired Up in Dungannon by a very special worship concert. Leading British hymnwriter, Stuart Townend rolled into town on the last night of a week touring Northern Ireland, and lifted the roof off the Leisure Centre.

As the evening began, there was a special treat, as Stuart introduced his band, led by Mark Edwards. The band played three instrumental numbers, including a jazz version of Abide With Me. At the start I was a bit dubious, but ended up buying Mark's CD as well, the band were so good!

Through the rest of the evening (with a break in the middle for CD sales and a cup of tea!) Stuart led worship, sang some familiar songs and taught some new ones, from his latest album The Journey. Having previously seen him lead the singing at the GAFCON/FCA event in London a couple of years ago, this was very different - a style I might call Hillbilly Hallelujah! At times there was a Mumford and Sons sound, others like a ceilidh band sound; always fairly folk with guitar, keyboards, double bass / bass guitar, drums, violin, saxophone; and various other instruments the talented band members could play - xylophone, a mouth organ type thing, tin whistle, accordion, flute etc.

Some of the old favourites were there - In Christ Alone, How deep the Father's love for us, and All my days (Beautiful Saviour); but lots of the new songs were also great and very catchy - several days later we're still humming them around the house - watch out for O My Soul; The Perfect Wisdom; The Man Who Calmed The Sea; a reworking of It Is Well With My Soul; and my favourite: Vagabonds. (click the link for samplers)

It wasn't just about the music, though, as Stuart revealed something of himself and his journey, chatting about how and why he wrote the songs on the current album, and what they mean to him. At the heart of all his songs, indeed at the heart of all the best music, is a longing to know and love Christ, and Townend's songs help us do that with solid content and meaningful words, as well as memorable and catchy tunes.

All in all a good evening, and a great album to listen - without a typical Christian CD feeling, which is no bad thing!

Newtown

Thanks to my summer job, I was able to be back in Newtownstewart again today - nice to be back in the village that was my home for almost 3 years, and even more so to see my former colleagues again! I know some of them read the blog, so hello to Hazlett, Ken, Stephanie and Pauline!

Tomorrow the job will take me to Kilkeel, and visits to Lurgan, Markethill and Lisnaskea are hopefully coming soon too! So I'm still seeing a fair bit of the country, and doing lots of driving (which regular readers will know I like doing!)...

Flat cleared!

Ok, so there we go... today I went with me ma to the county of Tyrone. We started in Cookstown, then on to Omagh (via Pomeroy and Carrickmore), then to Newtownstewart, where we cleared the flat. So the end of an era has come.

Now there is no room in my room, no room in the kitchen, but my keyring has reduced by about half!

Then tonight we were out for a meal to celebrate the news that Scott has passed his PhD (as I said earlier - he's a doctor of buses, so timetables, engine specifications and the number of bus passengers in Plumbridge on a Tuesday morning in March - anything you want to know in the whole bus sphere, then contact him!)

Goodbye Newtownstewart

And so, the end is near, and now I face my final curtain...

Today is now my last day in work, and my last day in the village of Newtownstewart. Last night I was packing, and well, to be brutally honest, I started crying. So many memories in everything I lifted to put into boxes, and the complete realisation that this is the end of my time here... That finished any hope of packing last night.

So I was up early-ish this morning, and have the car loaded up now with stuff. I'll have one more journey westwards tomorrow or Monday just to bring the bike and whatever stuff is in the kitchen - plates, cutlery etc... And just like a good Shakespeare play where the weather reflects the mood of what is going on, today it is raining. Constant, heavy rain.

I didn't realise just how much I loved this place, and this job until now...

But God who has called me, is faithful, and has wonderful plans for me in Dublin and beyond - and there is pain in giving up things that are comfortable and familiar, but it the way of the cross, it is the way of God's people - because the blessings that lie ahead far outweigh what I could ever possibly have by being stubborn and remaining here.

Abraham was called by God to go to a place he did not know - at least I know I'm bound for Dublin. Abraham was called by God to give up his son, the one who the covenant would be brought through - I'm only giving up a flat and moving to a new place of security and dwelling.

A big thank you to the person who provided me with Proverbs 4:18:

THE PATH OF THE RIGHTEOUS IS LIKE THE FIRST GLEAM OF DAWN, SHINING EVER BRIGHTER TILL THE FULL DAY OF LIGHT.

And so I begin on the path to Dublin... Here goes!

I'm leaving Newtownstewart - AAAAAAAAAAGH!!!!!!

This is going to sound really silly, but it is only today that it has finally hit me that I am leaving Newtownstewart so soon. It was only when I went into the Post Office (which is also a men's clothes shop, furniture shop, hardware, fancy goods, and undertaker business and more stuff that I either haven't seen or can't remember) and was squaring up the remainder of the rent with my landlord that it hit me. Then later on, when I was back in the PO, and one of the staff wished me all the best in case she didn't see me again before I left.

I am gonna miss this place so much. From the flat (yes, even the flat with the regular return of mice, and the at times dodgy shower, and the 4 bedrooms and the heating system and the coin box electric meter), and Finlay's supermarket for the morning paper, and the quiet life of a wee village, and the view of the Sperrins from my desk, and the friends I have made with my colleagues - Stephanie, Ken, Pauline and Hazlett, as well as the committee and members - the victims who have suffered so much in this part of the world. All coming to an end.

I'll be sad to go. And yet, a part of me is ready to move on, to see what is around the next corner, because I know that I am going in the power of God - he has called me (I believe) to the ministry of the word, and I go to follow his call. So I'm well excited about Dublin and all that lies beyond there! Here goes...!

Derry Day

Today was of course Derry Day, but I shall come to that in good time... First, a general report on the events of last night, and within this posting shall be revealed the exact finish time and result of the Great Toilet Roll Prediction Competition!

Bryan and Stewart came up to the flat last night, and we had chips in Andy's (the biggest portions in Newtownstewart), then went out on a grand adventure. We started at Harry Avery's Castle, overlooking the village. There used to be 'authentic' Environment & Heritage Service green steel steps up to one of the balconies / window holes in the gate house, but they were removed, so Stewart decided to climb up to the nook anyway. Well, he managed it fairly easily, but his descent was a different story - being guided the whole road down with where he could put his feet!

Moving on from the castle, we headed out to Baronscourt, and down into the estate (whether we're meant to or not)... had a wee look about, and then out again. We then began following one of the new tourist routes recently begun - the South Sperrins Scenic Route, and we came upon the Baronscourt Parish Church. After Stewart had a go at bell-ringing (the chain is outside and ready for anyone to have a pull), we had an investigation into the oldest graves - roughly 1880 was the oldest. Then we found the former Dukes of Abercorn, all buried in a row.

It was on from there towards Crew Bridge, then into Castlederg, then to Clady and Strabane, before coming back to Newtownstewart by the back road to Victoria Bridge. We then proceeded to talk for a long time... (3am was the end up).

This morning then, I was up first (by a long way), then Stewart, and finally Bryan (although we had to threaten him to get him up). So we got to see the Newtownstewart ones parading before we left for Londonderry.

But the other big news is that the toilet roll was finished this morning at apprximately 9am. Primrose had guessed yesterday, and Claire had guessed tomorrow, so I shall have to decide on a way of allocating the win...

We had a good (but at times wet) day in Londonderry, watching the parade of the Apprentice Boys celebrating the Relief of the city from the siege. I didn't take too many pictures (what with wrestling with the umbrella in the wind and rain), but whatever few I have might well go on the photo site at some point in the future, under the culture section.

The sunniest corner of Ulster

Yesterday evening, the sunniest corner of Ulster was none other than the village of Kesh. Newtownstewart was a dull sort of a day, overcast and all (and it is raining now), but I was heading down to Kesh to meet up with a friend, and lo and behold, it was sunny! So sunny, in fact, that I couldn't see hardly to drive - even with sunglasses on... My eyes began to water but thankfully I came across a wee car park where I could stop and wait until I could see again.

Yet, do you know what? The brightness of the sun is nothing compared to the brightness of God! In the new Jerusalem, there won't be any call for the sun, because God himself will provide the light for it - and there will be no night!

And what is our reaction to bright light? Well, we normally turn away, or shield our eyes, because we cannot endure it. And even more so, God's holiness is beyond anything we can imagine or face up to. The Psalmist said 'Lord, if you mark our transgressions, who would stand?' But, as the song goes on, thanks to your grace we are cleansed by the blood of the Lamb!

We all fall short (Romans 3:23) of the glory of God, yet thanks to the sacrifice of Jesus, we are able to stand in God's presence, and live with him for ever! (No sunglasses needed!)

Sperrins

Wednesday evening seems to be driving evening now. I think I'm realising that I'm coming to the ebd of my time in Newtownstewart, and want to see the bits I haven't seen in the countryside around it. So, while last Wednesday was the jaunt across the border into Donegal, tonight was a bit of a journey up into the Sperrins.

I set off to Gortin, then on to Barnes' Gap (which, according to the tourist sign at the car park means 'Gap Gap' because 'Barnes' means gap in Irish... which leads to a funny story from BB Camp a few years back... in Wales, signs are bi-lingual, in Welsh and English. So when Glenn saw a sign for: 'Castell Castle', he thought it was very strange that a place called 'Castell' would have a castle at it... until we pointed out it was actually a bi-lingual sign pointing to the castle!).

Then I came back across the gap, and went to look for a wee parish church I had been in one time before, but isn't on the Ordnance Survey map. And, success! I found it, then continued out the road, cut back on myself by another road, and ended up in the hamlet of Rousky, before returning back to Gortin and home!

A nice wee evening of driving, but it would have been even nicer if the rain had stayed away. It wasn't very heavy, but it just meant that I couldn't take photos, and also that I had to take it easy on the roads...