in memory of a friend's loss and my own

may the peace of God that passes all

understanding keep our hearts and minds

 in the knowledge and the love of God

 and the fellowship of the holy spirit  

be among us evermore amen

when i first started keeping a blog

i thought because of my untidy flat

it was a good place to keep notes

when people gave me points of reference

i no longer do this as notebooks

 are both more convenient

and cause no concern

sometimes things don't work out

as we all hope

i pray 

change will bless

us all as we learn new ways

and retain older methods

pen n paper best 

mmmm

amen

A simpler kindlier naive and more loving world

Had a gentle evening last night.
went with two courteous colleagues to see
Laurel and Hardy..thinking about it
the name doesn't suggest stardom ,but
that of an old gents tailors where you get made to measure
any cloth you like in an old fashioned
oak wood shop with mirrors and a smell of cotton

We started out in an atmospheric pub that had these qualities
I tried to remember Michael Macintyre's name.
trying to relate on some freeing level that
the Yorkshire man who said'not for me'
when he saw the comic flounce and bounce onto the stage
was not to his 'entertain me lad' liking.

Mostly I want the gentle family atmosphere
the Laurel n Hardy old suits and ties to fiddle with
because they are silly is a sort of reassuring place of the older
mum n dad.We enjoyed that the lower floor of
Royal Court was pleasing to Jimmy Rae and I
felt like an ocean liner.

I think we are a bit fluish and the darkness
is getting to me too.Dehydrated I think but for water
would have loved another pint last night but denied myself same
as sometimes you know you want the equilibrium
of a gentler sobriety to remain
whilst the conducive flavour of the beer
would have been fab.Just knew a sniffle n a
headiness meant clarity would be preferable lest I sink .


My morning this morning is one of looking around
 and whilst being able to see
that the exhibitions and folding and removing of furniture is heading me
towards simplicity I must address the question
how to return to that creative new beginning.

Hence the intentionality of the headin.
 simpler kindlier naive and more loving world

one for me to rest in step intio produce from and wander safely in
inclusive ofg those who will be conduvie sharing appreciative and entertaining
By which I mean I with kindly world applause and encouragement might
nurture freedom for their self expression and a growth in my understanding and appreciatipon
of all of life(God's) nuances.

Minimalism.
To see the stripped back box cartoon so well engineered for Laurel and Hardy's 2d yet 3d ness
was fab.The story line at a sort of basic line drawn by say Mel Calman
relationship and boys in a girl's ruled world.The safety were the girlfriend is more of your mum.
Yes the two men like Morecombe and Wise are children like John to his Yoko


What is missing from the relational politic is the reconcialiation of these seeming opposites.The girls need to get out to play too.i.e. with the boys in their escape.Probably the problem with any boy based 'lodge'.

Oh for Honolulu but let the wives be the dancers.



and forget the lodge rules about boys only.


Some day needs to be today.
I may live alone and yes I may find peace but the comfort of that girl I love
well like my faith it is the Eden and simplificartion I truly seek
I love my paintings of Stones that have been rolled into minimal monuments to the flowing moment in the light
I love the doves with their blues shadows showing the sky can land too and the simple materials of zink and wood and lino and mositen paper and colours with which to print.Only the print rooms have so far shown that boys and girl can liev to play affectioantely and meditatively together.But no music and dance.For my lyrics take up far less room that my framed pictures scupltures etc.


So off now to take car for MOT see how today unfolds.Gently I hope.

Creativity and the insidious accumulative-ness of embracing change.

Loved last night.There was a jungle theme.One poem was about town at night being full of people caricatured for their carnal nature and pheromones etc as animals.My book and postcard had elephant and various other zoo animals in it.Simon narrated the real experience in the Palin -like adventure of being chased by orang utan. At Amici a word that I have used in an unrecorded song  representing the name of my daughter and that of the girl ( I have missed for some time now) merged.Last night Simon was clever in the shift in his voice to make a very definite aside( like a 'to camera' of Eric Morecambe -a here in the room aware of narrator to  listener.Gerry beside me who hadn't remembered his ear n ades thought the articulate nature of Simon's annunciation very special.Heard every word so clearly so well pronounced 'a great reading voice' Oh and the jungle theme again Gerry by request/demand did 'king of the swingers' and given that Simon's tale was that of seeking to escape a mother orangutan with biscuit and banana throwing well.

Any road.Whilst writing songs and decluttering ironing has been building up and up and although large pieces of furniture and equipment have gone out I can see little mounds of things appearing like boils in the recent joyful emptiness 'space I had known for a short while.I am up early and will start drawing out a mural at 9.30.Philip Brown also added to the Amici animal theme.He narrated a poem about an hippopotamus by T.S.Elliot and even 3 a'peth a foot hand that she put two and two together and saw the Slinky's link. Marko introduced me to sleep I think.Wanting to make an essay or book out of last nights revelry has been inspired by the wonderful exciting adventure story that Simon had shared.I want to see the St.Francis film at URC tonight that Micky Schroder has arranged so I must get some rest I will set the alarm for 8 I think.Amen

Inviting change-being accessible to 'power'

What have  learned?
What am I learning?

The accessible to power bit comes from
Carlos Castaneda's Journey to Ixtlan
where I found some very interesting ideas
that shows that we live inside a description
some of which like the evolution of
tea strainer n loose leaves to tea bag
can be improved upon.

Being accessible to power
is being accessible to the author
I feel.

i.e the Holy Spirit's life giving purpose full
insights and letting the neural grooves
of bad habits.Ones perhaps that people take as necessary
under the law and trapped in the flesh as St Paul
might say.

Life coaching is one of the things I am learning
to be adjusted by and informed by.I look at the balance wheel of
how the time rolls on through core beliefs
family food shelter friends fulfilment spiritual meaningfulness playfulness.
And this all upon the road of actions relatings of myself to my brother my joining wirral ukelele fanatics for playing bass in church or my seeking to provide an income by providing services  murals portraits
seeing david today to go for a mutual shave and hair cut in a place where i can share a meaningful space with him....

I have produced a new page for facebook and found I had by tinkering flirting with an idea produced a fourth page.

Think of a cross or clock face a face G for grow on the forehead at twelve oclock
where Jesus crown of thorns is KING of the Jews.God's goal the salvation of his people Jews and Gentiles
Goals then the R on the right hand thief side the left eye of your face on the right in the mirror or seeming to be on the right when you look at another R for reality with one thief it was doubt yet the other belief respond positively or react negatively the nailed hand Jesus left we see it to the right as He faces us.Rituals are neural grooves and ruts but righteousness from God can change that reality .Our reality includes affirmation change and reason to believe.Then Christ's feet where Options and our mouth are.So twelve oclock was G for goals
three oclock was the Realisation of a more positive affrimative hopeful reasoned rearrangement in alignment with core values reponse.Now though out mouth come options O at six oclock where Mary becomes mother to a new son throough jesus blessings from Jesus on the cross of growth the tree of life we may have the sacrament from the wine and the bread of Genesis.The berries and the grain.now then to the Way the thief that turned to Jesus to ask to be with him in paradise.when what whom will you become well back to the goals of Jesus face containing all these things and His cross too.Be like Him .When asap where here n now how by changing becoming accessible to change through the Holy Spirit. at the centre of Christ's face the breath at the centre of our's too.At the centre of Christ's cross the heart ...us too...the way is upwards.

remembering     mother here is your son
son here is your mother

and what you do or do not do for the least of one of these you do or do not do for Jesus God Holy Spirit.

What am I learning well I am learning to throw things away to compartmentalize a little but fluidly.
Whilst another might feel to label me inconsistent with their ways of doing things....God will forgive their 'not knowing' as He has forgiven us and suggested the empowering flux of transforming Love on His terms  'forgiveness which we must not too rigorously feel we can put away in a box or compartmentalize when we will get around to it .It is change it is the cross it is the purposeful grow model of God.The raison de etre of Christ's sacrifice.Scary face.......


So resources then .Not wanting to through Jesus nor the gift of life out with the baptismal water as I clear the flat of debris and seek to get the currency of sociable and contented cleansed home into a living state of 'well' being water of life unclung to back to open sharing system instead of neurotic rut back to the God given gratitude of good habits...cleaning eating fruit walking ironing perhaps learning sharing being ....clean water in bath water out ..good thing in good things out   ...manna ate when given....nothing stagnant ...gifts not buried but shared acted upon steeping out risks taken freshness ...so then for my walk around the lake ..breakfast oranges and day with David amen

p.s. i am finding that i do not turn into salt when I view places i used to work and be...i am seeing that they have been salted and are a resource for me to share the sense i make of them i seek to enjoy their loveliness and reveal it .India building...etching....room at Bluecoat....old things refreshed and skills improved upon and enjoyed ...sesnse made of who I was and still am following Christ's celaing up and work each day upon my tune of being...I am being retuned.Now which page of face book...there are four.G JIM Fleming a person like the manyR Jim the artist the need for an income so work may be the w of grow? Becoming oneslef in christ being the main Goal or final major project.Reality of being the heasrtist as an affirmative Christ heart firstintention.R Gifts yet to discover the coaching is the option I coach myself and share the tools on this one and speak of my hearts leanring.then the W proper to be like a child 'PLAYful me' an invitation for other to do so too.Be a child of christ .Doing so now foreve will bring us to who we are being transformed into.Both the slef we were given and the human univserally blessed 'least of one of these''

If you are one who like to tidy up and refresh reorder make lists and use a metronome of clarity to presesnt your ordered thourtght a real gift in my opinion wath the baptismal water s you let it all flow through that no good thing is watsed but please do mirror this back more tidily for it came for a good place ...this place there is no other on world God's amen

Well it sort of worked

The morning started with the imperative to de clutter.
Well I managed to fill a box of books and a satchel of clothes then of to church and
played bass with Micky.Overheard him say he wanted a bag of rags for an earth event for churches together at St Bridgets.So came home and did a ton of ironing and looted the hot tank and filled another bag of clothes sheets etc for Micky to turn into rags.Also washed the bedding and changed the bed.Had a sleep and took the bag to church after a sleep.Also washed the soap trays  with a kettle of boiling water.Also used the tube I siphon the fish tank to further suck/siphon the tray and the seal of the washing machine and span and rinsed the washer.So a cleaner more functional machine.SO then practicing what I preached to myself.
John just prayed with me.Bit tearful again about the self employed singlehood I live with.But Colin's sermons this morning and this evening have added such a message of hope that I am so grateful for the support of faith.God only knows where others turn.Have to believe he does amen.

I MUST PRACTISE WHAT I PREACH.Currrency and currentness of ongoing significant advice.

There is no escaping it.Even I I do not like routines nevertheless if Isuggest taking actions on set goals then I must do so. Heh if a scientist or proactive believer in change transformation 'evolution'  writes for himself the GOAL 'declutter for clarity of thought and then frames the advice on the wall or in the notes he puts for others on the blackboard and then buries the blackboard in a clutter of other expression or leans the adviceon the skirting board and then put books other pictures and projects all over it .Then the strategy is one of 'catch other trains of thought carry and bring home more baggage and never create room for it.More succinct: 'go stuff yourself with more self'.So got up intending to write the goal ,but more importantly I MADE A START.Outside the door of my flat is a bin and a box.Some books to oxfam some paper matter for the grey bin.You eventually have to get to the w the WAY when what who where the why not do it NOW noW of the groW model.So perhaps you like I can say of yourself to yourself.(Dylan said gonna give myself a good talkin to).Best of luck and more importantly the amen of God's love for each of us.'God will help me with this so long as I make a start'.Amen

Needs must carry on

And so I put my faith in Jesus
and I needs must carry on
the seeming chaos and confusion
would like to snare me
suggesting all my hope is gone
and yet I know despite
all the missing things
still before me is the goal.

Though others feel that I'm deluded
there's such love within my soul
so choices then well here today
I might evangelize
yet imperative I draw in town
that's where my future lies
I go in search of clips to hole
 the paper to the board
two other they are hid from me
and I cannot penetrate this hoard.

Yet forgiven by my father
I must go and purchase more
for to be amongst my neighbours painting is
exactly God made me for.
I'll have a simple breakfast
and I will walk around God's pond.

And I'll have a bath
within I'll laugh and then I may record this song
Each day there may be challenges.
Today I'm out to paint
I'll sieve the world that interests me
its in that I have my fate.
The children play in Liverpool
and miss the greater part
the architecture around the courts
that's where I'll make a start

This was once my married stomping ground
Regian House India Buildings Liver Buildings and I
I once did see the Mersey mist seem to be a fallen sky
I watched it wander up the street towards the old town hall
a cumulous nimbus casting shadows on the road and on the wall
it past before the sailor's church where Dooley's sculpture
of carpenter Joseph rid his mount and the anchor in the altar
stirs in my heart without a doubt

Some comfort I did get in prayer that led to Norma and Robert and 'Aims'
a brother to sweet Jesus had my own label that of James
so with Jesus in me working the J the I the M
John Mayall and Joni Mitchel John Moores and M and M
I dream again of Liverpool my heart lies there somewhere
I'm looking for clips to hold me down
to where my soul survives somewhere

it isn't in the cathedrals nor Hope street not anymore
and no its not in James street leading me to India building
great hall.And it isn't in Spinney house not now where
Fsaser advertising lay nor in the now invisible Henderson's
where I as Comi chef did play and it isn't in the
Bluecoat etched bedside my freinds '
warm hearts..maybe somewhere on Lime street
which is greater than the sum of its parts
its in the concerts and railway lines
the hopes and memories
it beating here within me I'll let it out that you might share and see.

I etched fond plates in the Bluecoat
and I carried warm ads to the Echo one time
they came from Palatine in Seel street
and I walked miles of town once uponus atime
from  bombed out church top of Bold street
i watched big issue sellers' prayers ascending
through the bombed out roof
where I just sang my song
a song about Emmanuel from a day in Chester time
and if a whale came in through your bathtap then
these where bubbles in God's bath

So I turn my eyes to Jesus
wash my feet lord
I'm here to make some marks
take me where you want me to the light and through the dark
help me splash the paper with the love in tearful eyes
its not my world nor our world
it is yours
for your love is so much more.