I THOUGHT WEEKENDS WERE SUPPOSED TO BE RESTFUL!

For many people the weekend brings a welcome time of rest and relaxation from the busy-ness of weekday life. For those in Christian leadership this isn't always the case, and weekends can often be the busiest and most demanding times. As the bullet point, list-style of blog always seems to go down well, here's a summary of my busy but immensely fulfilling weekend:
* Our son James is back in the UK from Dallas, about to embark on a month in the London office of his new employers. He's looking good, life is on the up for him, and it was good to see him home with us for a few days. Hopefully we'll see him again during his time in London which will be followed by three months in the Rome office before he heads back to live and work in Dallas.
* The shocking news that Pakistan cricket team coach Bob Woolmer was murdered. The reason? Matchfixing scandal? His soon to be published book revealing too much? Argument with a player or players? Fans annoyed at the teams abject performance? Random act of violence and robbery? Only time will tell.
* Candlelit dinner on Friday night at the home of Martin and Danielle Evans. This was something I had bid for in the fundraising auction for the India School back in November and we finally got around to fixing a date. Martin and Danielle are exceptional hosts and, along with another couple from our church, Gill and I really enjoyed the night.
* Nick Redman and I were fairly equal on the Pool Table, but were both outclassed by Martin.
* The steak plus accompanying sauce were delicious!
* We didn't get home till about 1 o'clock... not good for ...
* The 6.45am start on Saturday to go to the Evangelical Wales New Generation Leaders Day in Welshpool.
* A fantastic day encouraging and impacting 80 individually invited younger leaders from all over Wales.
* Working together with other Welsh based ministries -Ignite sharing the day with Going Public, Urban Saints, YWAM, and of course EA Wales- an opportunity to model partnership and collaboration, to showcase some of our own opportunities but not feel like we were forcing the agenda of any one ministry.
* I'm excited about the quality of emerging leaders God is calling.
* Sharing a seminar with Rob Burns of Connect- he's a top quality man and becoming a very trusted friend.
* A great contribution by Phil Wall of Signify - a contemporary from The Evangelist's Conference in the 1990's.
* Poor old Lois from Rhiwbina Baptist church being sick on the journey home, just after the 4 of us in my car had eaten a MacDonalds. Fortunately I stopped just in time for her to .... well I won't go into details. Graciously, she blamed travel sickness and the winding roads of Mid Wales. I think my driving might have had something to do with it.
* England beating Kenya and qualifying for the Super8 stage of the Cricket World Cup.
* 12 people of varying ages, backgrounds, and Christian experience coming into membership at City Temple this morning- from Nigeria, Botswana, Uganda, a couple of places in England, Finland, and of course Wales! One couple coming into membership celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary next week!
* A generous resonse to the Mission Offering this morning and evening- at Bryon Castle's suggestion ( he came to India with me last October and is an elder at City Temple) the money is going to help pastor's from Gateway ministry to go to Elim's first ever all-India conference this coming October in Bangalore. It's likely that Bryon and I will take a team out.
* Changing my sermon tonight at City Temple at the last moment after prompting from the Holy Spirit. I spoke on The Rock of Ages, using some Bible study notes I'd gone through with Third Day on tour last November. No real sermon preparation, no powerpoint slides, yet feeling a freedom, an authority, and the anointing of God. He really touched a lot of lives- not least mine!