Its Hot here in Margaritaville

Sitting on the smitheys porch in philadelphia .... Lee is making Margaritas - there are tortilla chips and fresh Guacamole on hand . Its hot but it dont get much better than this.

The great Cycle adventure starts Sunday - in the meantime - another margarita - dont mind if I do.

Because the sacred is Everywhere

"If a boy comes into a room, with a packet of twenty cigarettes - and if there are nineteen other people in the room - and if he gives each one a cigarette, and takes the last cigarette for himself - then, I believe, the empty cigarette packet is a sacred object, a kind of sacramental, containing the life of God, as a water-pipe contains water. I would not be surprised if it became radioactive, and shone in the dark, on account of its connection with the Love of the Many." James K Baxter

My good friend Mr Riddell introduced me to the work of New Zealand poet, minor saint and controversial visonary James K Baxter a few years back with his play Jerusalem Jerusalem. I love this Baxter quote and my day today was made sacred by having lunch with a few friends , praying quietly in an old monastic site and then sharing the tuesday table of love , food and conversation which is Team Fury.

Nothing spectacular but in its way sacramental and filled with the love of many.

Keep shining in the everyday.

blessings

Show me the Money

Yes its a blatant bit of fundraising but its the first I've ever done on this site and wont be repeated. I'm leaving my job this week and therefore have a bit of time on my hands. The first thing I'm doing with that time is heading on a fundraising trip to america for East Belfast Mission. I shall be looking after 10 nutters who are cycling up to 1000 miles in ten days.

Why ? Well because its an amazing project we all belive in - working in a very disadvantaged interface area of Belfast with kids , elderly , homeless and the unemployed. I blogged about it in february so scroll down and have a read .....

But in the meantime if you have a few quid to spare click on the link above or below and spread the love .

http://www.justgiving.com/markmccleary

blessings in advance

m

Providence

Its Sunday evening and its feels like the calm between 2 storms. Next week will be my busiest work week of the year - last week was probably the second busiest setting up for a huge news day involving all sorts of heads of state.

However there is always room for a few other things in life so I saw a fantastic Duke Special concert and finally managed to get a new painting (PROVIDENCE) framed and on the wall. Its by my good friend Rob Bancroft from Nashville - click on the title to go straight to his website for some other amazing stuff.

So Sunday evening after a day of storms the sun is shining and I've been walking along the beach at Sanctus Boscus. Now back and sitting on the sofa while the rays of the setting sun are reflecting on the painting and I'm reflecting on it..... wondering about providence ... Is it true or just wishful thinking ...in a week where some days I've been too busy to eat but yet been strangely content - other friends have been struggling with life ..... are we both receiving providence in different ways ..... or is it only providence when you do get what you want, when you are provided for and dont struggle. I dont know - I dont have the answers for those who are struggling But ....

Maybe a belief in providence is just wishful thinking but then as FB would say sometimes wishing is the wings truth comes true on , sometimes the truth is what sets us wishing for it.

Blessings