Being a Christian is easy right? An easy option, a crux to fall back on?

In some ways if you want it to be I guess the answer is it could be. Accept Christ and that's all you have to do for peace of mind.

However, that's not at all it. It is trying to live a life that follows Christ. It's also not who shouts the loudest, who preaches the loudest, who gives the most or even if one can raise someone from the dead.

The guide, as discussed in Church the last series is found in 1 Corinthians 13, the so called "Love Chapter" that many, many people know from weddings. "Love is patient, love is kind etc.." What this chapter states sounds easy. Love. Yeah I can do that. It's not that easy. What does this involve in a daily life. Some example: Self-Control, patience, kindness, joy, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, slow to anger etc.. etc.. Characteristics that have to exhibited in every aspect of your daily life no matter what situation. Not so easy.

My goal: To try. I will fail many, many times every day, but, the goal is to try, try and try again.

-Richard

I finished reading:

"Blood on the Shores, Soviet SEALs in World War II" an autobiography written by Viktor Leonov. 213 Pages.

Book number 38 this year for 12,686 pages at 334 per book.

-Richard

This is something I've been planning to do on my blog for a while. In some just to ramble on and crystallise my thoughts.

I am talking about discussing things that crop up in my faith. Mainly I was planning on discussing questions or thoughts that I may have had during a Church Service or Small Group meeting.

Why? I post about books I read, music I listen to, Cats we fostered, politics, sports, my family etc... However, a very important part of my life, the most important part is my faith and it is only mentioned in passing.

Why haven't I earlier? I think it was because I did not want to come across to any who read this blog as preaching as that's not what I want or am about. Also, people who read this will know, or it will be patently obvious that I am not perfect, therefore, I did not want to come across hypocritically or false an imagine that Christians are so often perceived. For me my faith is not a thing to preach it is an attempt at a way of life, a way of life that I so often fail in everyday, but, a way of life that I strive to reach, despite these failures.

Why Start now? The message at Church today was about relationships, especially with God and how it should infuse all of ones life and how everything should be committed. Therefore, despite my reticence I have decided to move forward with this. I am sure I will not write every week, but, I aim to frequently.

For those who read this I hope it does not drive you away or you think, oh no another religious crazy, but, I hope you will see how this is important in my life and how it shapes so many other opinions and thoughts in my life.

-Richard

The next kitten we fostered was Sloane. He was a little orange boy that we got at an adopathon in October 2006. A couple who had previously adopted from Snowflake found him under an overpass in Cary, NC. They picked him and brought him to where we would be. We took him and he was adopted out on December 3rd.

-Richard

I've just got home after a couple of days on the road. This incorporated going to four States: Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska. Two of these Missouri and Kansas are new States for me. This means that I now been to 37 of the 50 States. It also meant that I went to a new airport for me: Kansas City.

I also read two books on this trip:

"Catch a Falling Spy" written by Len Deighton (322 pages) and "The Moscow Club" written by Joseph Finder (530 pages).

These were books 36 and 37 of the year for 12473 pages averaging 337 pages per book.

-Richard

I finished reading:

"Spy Sinker" written by Len Deighton. 435 pages.

The last of the three book series.

35th book of the year. 11621 pages at 332 pages per book.

-Richard

Wasteland

The strings scream out
Trying to be heard
Above the noise and
Racket
Trying to impact
The desert that is
This cultural wasteland.

Christ cries out
Trying to be heard
Above the sin and
Destruction
Trying to impact
This nation that is
This spiritual wasteland.

28th March 1997 - Spring Harvest, Skegness, Lincolnshire, England.

-Richard

Time for the next cat we fostered. She was Pumpkin. She came to us after her original foster Mom died and she did not work in another foster home. Unfortunately she was not with us very long because she also did not settle into our foster home. After moving through two other foster homes she's found her perfect home with two other Snowflake volunteers who fell in love with her and she now has a fantastic loving home.

- Richard

I finished reading:

"Spy Line" written by Len Deighton, the second book of the trilogy. 323 pages.

34th book this year, 11186 pages at 329 pages per book.

-Richard

I finished reading:

"Spy Hook" written by Len Deighton. 339 Pages.

This is the first book of the second Bernard Samson Trilogy.

33rd book of the year, 10863 pages at 329 per book.

-Richard

I finished reading:

"Hitler's Death March" written by Morris Krantz with Louis Aster. 235 pages.

This is the story of Krantz's survival of the Holocaust. Reading it is staggering that people could be treated like this, that it could actually happen and that it still happens in the World today. My small brain cannot comprehend such hate, such illogical discrimination and above all how so many people could just follow to allow it to happen and how today some people can just deny it actually happened.

The 32nd book of the year for 10524 pages at an average of 329 pages.

-Richard

I finished reading:

"City of Gold" written by Len Deighton. 408 pages.

Book number 31 and 10,289 at 332 per book.

-Richard

I finished reading:

"Cannery Row" written by John Steinbeck. 123 pages.

The 30th book I have read this year, 9881 pages at 329 pages per book.

-Richard

I finished reading:

"Dreadnought - Britain, Germany and the Coming of the Great War" written by Robert K. Massie. 908 pages. A big book, but a very good and enjoyable history.

This is the 29th book I have read this year for 9,758 pages at an average of 336 pages per book.

-Richard

The next cat was Fiesta. He was adopted out as a kitten, but, was unfortunately returned. He was a very playful, friendly black boy. He came into is October 13th 2006 and got his second chance at a home on December 3rd that year.

-Richard

Saturday was my first 4th of July as an American Citizen. A proud moment in a many ways as I am very happy to be a Citizen of this Country. However, there is still the English side of me that has the conflict. This made me think of the day we spent and the day and the two sides of the US we experienced.

For lunch we spent at a picnic organised by a local Christian Ministry called Love Wins Ministries
The idea of this was to meet with homeless people in Raleigh and try and give them the experience of the 4th. In the evening we went to watch a spectacular fireworks display. A different group of people with different lifestyles. This made me think about freedom and what it is all about.

Two Americas

The crowds are gathered
The parking lot
Waiting with anticipation
For the first explosion of light.
Fireworks in the sky above
To celebrate the freedom they enjoy.

The crowds are gathered
Waiting in line
With all their possessions in hand
For a chance of a hot dog,
Water melon and drink
Their only relief in another day
Of hunger, poverty and no roof.

Two events, one day
Two sides of this country
As it celebrates Independence.
Some free to enjoy it
Others tied to bad fortune
"God Bless the USA",
But we forget those in the street!

-Richard

I finished reading:

"Patriots, The Men Who Started the Revolution" written by A.J. Langguth. 563 Pages.

This is the 28th book I have read this year for 8850 pages at an average of 316 pages per book.

-Richard

I think I am now becoming a redneck. I assume it's the natural progression after becoming a Citizen and living in the South?

A couple of weeks ago we went to see George Strait in concert in Raleigh. A great concert by a great artist. Then Memorial Day weekend I went to my first NASCAR race, the Coca Cola 600 at Lowes Motor Speedway near Charlotte, NC. It was fun and despite the first day being completely rained out and the the race only eventually going 227 of the 400 laps I think it is something I would do again. Part of the the fun is chosing a driver. In my ignorance I chose Tony Stewart. Not for any particular reason except I heard an interview with him on a radio and I was impressed how the
"bad boy" became a team owner.

On top of this we are now back in Texas for a vacation and my love for Texas is still as strong as ever.

So, from North-East Englishman to a Southern US Redkneck???

-Richard

I finished reading:

"Only When I Laugh" written by Len Deighton. 241 Pages.

"Circus" written by Alistair MacLean. 192 Pages.

These are books 26 and 27 of the year for a total 8287 pages at 307 pages per book.

-Richard

I finished reading:

"The Jungle" written by Upton Sinclair. 412 Pages.

This was a very good book which I really enjoyed. Some of the conditions described at the turn of the century was awful. A lot of things have improved, but, unfortunately some things haven't such as continuous strive for greed not worrying about who or what is in the way. One quote from the book I really liked was, talking of Socialism "It was the new religion of humanity - or you might say it was the fulfillment of the old religion, since it implied bit the literal application of all the teachings of Christ."

This is book 25 of the year for a total of 7854 pages at 314 per book.

-Richard