The stage is set.

As you know the Looe music festival is upon us. Last minute preparations are being made. The main stage is in place and the lighting is now being tested. We are also being bombarded by short bursts of very loud music. This is just a taster of things to come. The Love Looe music festival is about to begin but what will the benefits be for us as residents??

I suppose that I have little right to say much being new to the town but I do wonder how many of the residents really are looking forward to the next 72 hours. We are all of a suddden banned from the beach which I assumed was for public use. The banjo pier is out of bounds. Shops and cafe's now need to put up signs in the nearby street to tell customers that business is as usual. On walking through the town to collect my car from it's new hideaway I spoke to a number of shopkeepers who told of their fear of what is about to come. Often what is seen to be a benefit by some can easily be a curse for others. As I have said before I am not against music or even the festival here but is it really a demonstration of love for Looe?

In what ways can Looe be loved? What is it that the population of Looe needs? For the modern music lover the festival is fantastic but what about the classical or opera lovers in our community? There are also problems for those about their legitimate businesses which cannot operate as normal due to road and parking restrictions. Is love really being shown to them by the festival? I am simply asking questions, I do not have an axe to grind. My musical taste is not too far from what will be on offer but what about my right to choose. I am in the firing line of the speaker stacks and my home will be rocking to all that the main stage has to offer. If I wanted peace and quiet I will be exempted from it and all in the name of Love for Looe.

It is easy to be a cynic and to be critical but as I was sitting here in peace and quiet I was just considering what kind of love Looe really needs. I applaud the festival organisers who have given of time and effort sacrificially in order to show love to our town and I am sure there will be many benefits, so a big thank you to the organisers for considering the town.

There is another way of showing love to the people of Looe which I believe will be of benefit in another way. It is as I am sure you will know by now from other posts of mine the gospel of Jesus Christ. he came to bring peace to the hearts of all who will believe on Him. It was because God so loved Looe (and all of the world) that He sent His Son Jesus in order that by faith we might gain everlasting life: John 3:16

You see in and through Christ, God demonstrates His love to both Looe and all of humanity.

The stage is set for the festival to begin:

It is by its presence declaring to all the delights that are to be on offer. It is a shining beacon across the landscape that speaks of man's love for Looe.

It was only last week that the stage was set for another declaration of love for Looe. The bible says that all of creation declares the glory of God and so I took another photo:

On the festival stage man's prowess to entertain and to make great music will be displayed superbly but on the stage that God has made the lighting effects speak not only of His glory but also of His gracious love for Looe.

I really do hope that all will enjoy the festival but that many will look to the beauty of the creation that it is set in and find peace and true love throguh God's gift of His Son.