Another month gone by without me blogging... I'm thinking that if I updated this blog more often it would be a lot more interesting. I do want it to be a viable way for people to keep up to date with me and to be a little interesting. But as it stands prepare for the usual info dump...

July was all about...

* The G8. The massive MAKE POVERTY HISTORY march - 250 000 people flooding around Edinburgh to call for change to Debt + Aid + Trade injustices. Seeing the great British cynicism begin to crumble + seeing big steps made towards seeing these things change. We've got to keep the pressure up though. Bring on the age of renewed idealism!

* Praying 24-7 for a week with my friends

* Being misquoted in The Guardian…

Locals told me that the Meadows used to be known as Hope Park (true, I did). It has since changed its name but on Saturday it hosted a galaxy of hopefuls, such as Chris Lindsey (sp?), a 20-year-old (23) student (I told him I had finished) at Dundee University (no). Should I be hopeful too? “This is not only about you it is about our humanity,” Lindsey said (no I didn’t. I talked about hope and the importance of it over cynicism) before disappearing into the crowd, estimated at more than 250, 000.

His commitment particularly struck me. He had convinced (no I hadn’t) four of his colleagues (no, they weren’t) to come and add their voice and together they marched holding a “Make G8 History” banner (no, actually it said “Act Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly” something he commented on!)

- John Kamau in The Guardian, G2, Monday 4th July 2005, p2

… still it’s nice we had a positive impact on the guy… its not what you say but how you say it sometimes! He was really nice but not all that attentive to detail!

* Graduating! Dressing up in a cloak for a day and getting tapped on the head by an old hat. Great stuff.

* Going to England. To a festival focused on worship + mission. Taking the sleeper to London (but getting no sleep as I didn't have a bed). It was haunting to walk through the city, just two days after the bombings and see the missing people's posters. I love London and it was hard to watch it hurting. The festival was great - full of life + times with God that I've not had for a long while. Living in a tent suits me I think (at least when it's sunny)

* Forwent my return train ticket to get a lift home. Except the car broke down. On the motorway. Twice. And we had to get towed. Twice. We got 30 miles North of London in 16 hours then had to take a train across England from Northampton to Birmingham to Nottingham to stay the night and then to Darby and then home to Edinburgh (pausing in Leeds). And I had a really good time.

* Got to work at the launch of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince at Edinburgh Castle. Technically I'm a free-lance technician now! It was really cool and I got to sit in as JK Rowling did a reading which was ace as I really like her.

* schemed up some plans for what to do after August... more soon on that.

... and that’s us up to date. Sorry it was so rushed. All of these things would make really interesting blog entries if only I had typed them up as they happened. It'll probably be the same again for August I'm afraid but I hope after the summer to get more regular and more in-depth. Coming up in the next while is...

* Tomorrow. Playing a Zombie in a TV advert for the Scottish Executive. Yes really. But probably not getting paid (sigh). The AD is about binge drinking. You know... binge drinking... zombies... that whole connection...

* CLAN Gathering in St Andrews. A large Christian gathering. I'm helping out and I think it will be great.

* The Fringe (again? so soon?) More Adventure in 24-7 prayer and mission. Looking forward to it!

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Comments:
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Jennifer: I am so sad that we haven't talked in such a long time. I am thinking and praying for you often. I am so proud of all that the Lord has seen you through this last year and what He has in store for you. Catherine Brown's last devotional had a great quote that shook my heart--"Even in the midst of extreme personal discomfort and a spiritual wilderness of enourmous proportion Jesus focused on His Father and His passion for Harvest int eh nations. He broke through his own felt needs because he lived to love others all the way to the Cross'---this is the abiding love that I pray you receive and walk in all of your days. love Jennifer
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Lurch Kimded: Absolutely amazing video and song, the passion and intensity is so powerful. I feel in love with it the first time that my flat mate showed me it. I keep on trying to find a reason to use it as part of a sermon, one day it will happen... one day.
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Rachel: Hey dude the pictures great! Graduate! Well done :) Your summer sounds awsome. Hope the rest goes really well :)
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MisterDavid: Hey man, It was so nice to *meet* you again at Transmission, great to have you at The Factory. You made such a great impression on my friend Maria when she was bawling herself to bits in that Debra Green seminar (if you remember) - thought you'd like to know :) Much love ...
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Sheena: hey chris! i sent an email to anneleen for both of you after realizing i don't have your email address. what is your email address? can you email it to me? ;-)
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Carla Trundle: Chris - what a month! I am very much up for you blogging much more often. I am seethingly jealous you got to hear Rowling read Half Blood Prince! xc
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