Does anyone else ever have this problem ?...That one can have an extended period of not really blogging much (as one doesn't feel one has a lot to say), followed by a period when you can think of so much you want to blog about that none of it ends up getting written down ?! Anyway, at the moment my brain is working faster than I have time to sit down and type ! I guess my brain is at the moment just having to readjust to being used in ways it hasn't been used for 2 years (or a bit more), so it's in fast mode. So yes, I'm feeling more like blogging again, but hopefully once I'm more settled I'll make more time to sit down and actually write it out to share with those of you who still read this, rather than it just being in my head !
That said, random thought for the day for you all...The nursery rhyme Humpty Dumpty:
"Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the king's horses and all the king's men
Couldn't put Humpty together again."
Now, where in that rhyme, does it state that Humpty is an egg ? I'd never thought about this fact until a friend pointed it out to me last night ! This Wikipedia article is most enlightening on the topic.
:-D
(In other news, my friend Glyn Collinson and I are playing in the Sheffield Folk Festival this coming weekend !!!!!! AAAhhhh!!! Currently very excited but also very nervous :)
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
Chapter 5
Brief update - as I'm sitting here one of the Surrey Uni computer rooms twiddling my thumbs (so to speak) for a couple of hours...
For those who don't know, I've just this week started at The University of Surrey. I'm going to be doing a PhD here but this week is mainly full up with induction lectures and meeting new people etc. I've met some lovely people, I am slowly getting to find my way round the maze that is campus - with much help from new friends - and the sessions (those for which the speakers have turned up anyway - hence my free hours today) have been helpful, especially for someone like me who is new to the Uni. But nevertheless, I'm itching now to actually get launched into some proper work. Although I've done some great things over the past few months (not least of which have involved many music things and several family holidays) and I needed some time to sort out practical things like getting rid of my Cambridge flat, I guess I didn't realise til now quite how much I've missed actually having something 'proper' to do - you can only do 'nothing' for so long...It was such a weird feeling being in that inbetween place. But still, I have to try to be patient and make the most of this week while I can, and try to get used to all these changes that are going on around me and in me. Plus I'm sure that soon enough I will have far too much to do again !
I am also still enjoying the music, with rehearsals every week now and various performances having been/upcoming - for instance the listings for the Sheffield Folk Festival (in which we're playing) are now up here ! Do check it out, if only to see that our names are actually on the website for a Folk Festival ! :-) It's all very hard work, but so worth it. We're working on new material at the moment, which is all very exciting - although, the songs do have a tendency to get very stuck in my head, to the extent that all the people round me must wonder what I'm going round humming to myself !
Anyway, enough rambling from me for now...since I'm here on Campus, I'd better go and use the time a bit productively and go do some more exploring, before the talks we have later this evening !
For those who don't know, I've just this week started at The University of Surrey. I'm going to be doing a PhD here but this week is mainly full up with induction lectures and meeting new people etc. I've met some lovely people, I am slowly getting to find my way round the maze that is campus - with much help from new friends - and the sessions (those for which the speakers have turned up anyway - hence my free hours today) have been helpful, especially for someone like me who is new to the Uni. But nevertheless, I'm itching now to actually get launched into some proper work. Although I've done some great things over the past few months (not least of which have involved many music things and several family holidays) and I needed some time to sort out practical things like getting rid of my Cambridge flat, I guess I didn't realise til now quite how much I've missed actually having something 'proper' to do - you can only do 'nothing' for so long...It was such a weird feeling being in that inbetween place. But still, I have to try to be patient and make the most of this week while I can, and try to get used to all these changes that are going on around me and in me. Plus I'm sure that soon enough I will have far too much to do again !
I am also still enjoying the music, with rehearsals every week now and various performances having been/upcoming - for instance the listings for the Sheffield Folk Festival (in which we're playing) are now up here ! Do check it out, if only to see that our names are actually on the website for a Folk Festival ! :-) It's all very hard work, but so worth it. We're working on new material at the moment, which is all very exciting - although, the songs do have a tendency to get very stuck in my head, to the extent that all the people round me must wonder what I'm going round humming to myself !
Anyway, enough rambling from me for now...since I'm here on Campus, I'd better go and use the time a bit productively and go do some more exploring, before the talks we have later this evening !
Friday, August 22, 2008
The Waterfront Project myspace
Tis very exciting - The Waterfront Project now has a myspace page ! Go check it out at: www.myspace.com/waterfrontproject !!!
Friday, August 01, 2008
Book recommendation
"Don’t miss this! If there’s a better book out there capturing God’s engaging nature and his ability to crawl into our darkest nightmare with his love, light and healing, I’ve not seen it. For the most ardent believer or newest spiritual seeker, the shack is a must-read."
Wayne Jacobsen, author of So You Don’t Want to Go to Church Anymore
-just one of many reviews for this book.
-->I just finished reading this book yesterday (it took me just under a day to read it as I couldn't put it down, although, I will have to reread it as there is too much to take in properly in one reading!) It is an amazing book, and I think that everyone should read it !!! It has really touched me deeply. It has blown through a lot of preconceptions that I have (and probably many of us have, even without realising that we do) about who we think God is and really gets back to the heart of what everything in life is all about - relationship. And a lot of things I thought I knew, I find I don't really know at all. The book is hard to explain, but you just need to read it and I know you will be touched too. Click on the picture below to be taken straight to the book's website where you can find out more for yourself...
Wayne Jacobsen, author of So You Don’t Want to Go to Church Anymore
-just one of many reviews for this book.
-->I just finished reading this book yesterday (it took me just under a day to read it as I couldn't put it down, although, I will have to reread it as there is too much to take in properly in one reading!) It is an amazing book, and I think that everyone should read it !!! It has really touched me deeply. It has blown through a lot of preconceptions that I have (and probably many of us have, even without realising that we do) about who we think God is and really gets back to the heart of what everything in life is all about - relationship. And a lot of things I thought I knew, I find I don't really know at all. The book is hard to explain, but you just need to read it and I know you will be touched too. Click on the picture below to be taken straight to the book's website where you can find out more for yourself...
Friday, May 30, 2008
Upcoming gigs...
I've been busy. There are several upcoming musical events at which I am playing...
- If anyone is free tomorrow and would like an evening of music in Cambridge (see flyer above)... This event is to raise money for this year's Romanian summer camp, of the variety I helped with last summer.
- Also, if anyone fancies a trip to Leicester in a couple of weeks, then I am accompanying a friend of mine at the Big Session Folk festival (See: http://www.bigsessionfestival.com) !!! We have a lunchtime slot on the Saturday in the Marquee Stage ! Exciting stuff...
Monday, April 21, 2008
Lifehouse's Everything skit
You guys all have to watch this ! Beautiful song, and beautiful skit. It moved me to tears.
Monday, March 31, 2008
The Waterfront Project !!!
For those of you who still read this blog (well done if you do) and who are vaguely interested, I have some news to share...
At the moment I am involved in a 'music project' with several extremely talented musicians, all of whom were at Bristol University like me, (but I didn't really get to meet any of them until we had all left Bristol Uni !) Together we are called 'The Waterfront Project'. The overall aim is to eventually record an album, putting in lots of hard work and having lots of fun along the way, perhaps also leading to some gigs. Anyway...we had our first 'full band' rehearsal a couple of weeks ago and not only was it amazing, but we made a few rough recordings (to see how we sounded). What we all I think agree were the best of these have recently been put up on Glyn's website (links about half-way down the homepage) and so please feel free to have a listen ! Enjoy and let me know what you think - bearing in mind these are very rough recordings. Technically speaking, you might call us 'folk-rock' of a kind, but we're hard to define.
I have never been involved in anything like this before. It's exciting, and hard and so tiring and truly wonderful all at once, and much more besides. I feel like I am growing so much as a musician at the moment and in many other ways too; well, playing with other musicians at this level and for rehearsals this long kinda makes you want to 'raise your game'; you want to learn to play your parts really well so that you're not the one who messes the song up ! It's a really practical demonstration of what it means to be a small part contributing to an overall big picture, which in this case is each song. I'm also learning just how much hard work music can be - I lose track now of how many times I've played some of these songs (although, I am still not bored of any of them!) and the sheer number of hours I have spent working out harmony for some songs, but it is SO worth it. I feel so very priviliged to have been asked to be a part of this and can't wait til our next session :-)
p.s. to anyone who has stuck out the long months of no posts, I do apologise for not keeping this site up-to-date in the last few months. I just seem to have too much else on my plate/mind at the moment. Besides, I think facebook really has taken over from the fad of blogging - well, for some things anyway. I may still post exciting news like this on here, but don't expect 'regular' updates like I used to give. I can't promise anything like that anymore !
At the moment I am involved in a 'music project' with several extremely talented musicians, all of whom were at Bristol University like me, (but I didn't really get to meet any of them until we had all left Bristol Uni !) Together we are called 'The Waterfront Project'. The overall aim is to eventually record an album, putting in lots of hard work and having lots of fun along the way, perhaps also leading to some gigs. Anyway...we had our first 'full band' rehearsal a couple of weeks ago and not only was it amazing, but we made a few rough recordings (to see how we sounded). What we all I think agree were the best of these have recently been put up on Glyn's website (links about half-way down the homepage) and so please feel free to have a listen ! Enjoy and let me know what you think - bearing in mind these are very rough recordings. Technically speaking, you might call us 'folk-rock' of a kind, but we're hard to define.
I have never been involved in anything like this before. It's exciting, and hard and so tiring and truly wonderful all at once, and much more besides. I feel like I am growing so much as a musician at the moment and in many other ways too; well, playing with other musicians at this level and for rehearsals this long kinda makes you want to 'raise your game'; you want to learn to play your parts really well so that you're not the one who messes the song up ! It's a really practical demonstration of what it means to be a small part contributing to an overall big picture, which in this case is each song. I'm also learning just how much hard work music can be - I lose track now of how many times I've played some of these songs (although, I am still not bored of any of them!) and the sheer number of hours I have spent working out harmony for some songs, but it is SO worth it. I feel so very priviliged to have been asked to be a part of this and can't wait til our next session :-)
p.s. to anyone who has stuck out the long months of no posts, I do apologise for not keeping this site up-to-date in the last few months. I just seem to have too much else on my plate/mind at the moment. Besides, I think facebook really has taken over from the fad of blogging - well, for some things anyway. I may still post exciting news like this on here, but don't expect 'regular' updates like I used to give. I can't promise anything like that anymore !
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
The New Root come to Cambridge in a week's time !!!
-p.s. this gig is part of their 2008 UK tour promoting their single "Sick of Me". The single was released on monday this week and is avaliable to download from their website: www.thenewroot.com If you're in Cambridge, be there ! (If you're not, then check out their other tour dates and locations! It'll be well worth it.)
Saturday, January 05, 2008
Wholly Yours
My new favourite album at the moment is "A Collision" by David Crowder band (which my brother got me for Christmas). I love David Crowder band; they're amazing musicians who aren't afraid to experiment with music and generally with art. Their albums aren't just a series of songs one after the other (although in some senses they are of course), they are very cleverly put together and lead you on a journey. Because of that, maybe they aren't quite as accessible on first glance but they allow you to think and explore. This album, as described on the back of the album booklet: "...for the past two years we have ended most nights in concert with the following statement: 'when our depravity meets His divinity it is a beautiful collision.' This recording is about that collision. It is the collision of our fallen state and our Maker's transcendance. It is a rendering of our mortality and eternal life." The song below particularly struck me on first listening, and does so again every time I hear it. The lyrics are just so beautiful ! Very cleverly crafted, and so true. So I thought I'd share them with you. Take time to ponder on them and enjoy. I wish you all a Happy New Year. May you this year know more the awe and wonder of this beautiful collision. Ro xx
"I am full of earth. You are heaven's worth.
I am stained with dirt, prone to depravity.
You are everything, that is bright and clean,
The antonym of me, You are divinity.
But a certain sign of grace is this:
From the broken earth, flowers come up
Pushing through the dirt
You are holy, holy, holy,
All heaven cries, "Holy, holy God."
You are holy, holy, holy.
I want to be holy like You are.
You are everything that is bright and clean
And You're covering me with Your majesty.
And the truest sign of grace was this:
From wounded hands redemption fell down,
Liberating man
You are holy, holy, holy,
All heaven cries, "Holy, holy God."
You are holy, holy, holy.
I want to be holy like You are.
But the harder I try the more clearly can I
Feel the depth of our fall and the weight of it all.
And so this might be the most impossible thing:
Your grandness in me making me clean.
Glory, hallelujah
Glory, glory, hallelujah
So here I am all of me
Finally everything.
Wholly, wholly, wholly
I am wholly, wholly, wholly
I am wholly, wholly, wholly Yours.
I am full of earth and dirt and You."
-David Crowder 2005 (from A Collision)
p.s. chords for this song are in Soul Survivor book 4. And if, like me, you like linking songs together, then you'll be glad to hear that this is another song which you can easily link with 'The stand', 'inside out', 'awesome God', 'mighty to save', etc. via the chorus and bridge.
"I am full of earth. You are heaven's worth.
I am stained with dirt, prone to depravity.
You are everything, that is bright and clean,
The antonym of me, You are divinity.
But a certain sign of grace is this:
From the broken earth, flowers come up
Pushing through the dirt
You are holy, holy, holy,
All heaven cries, "Holy, holy God."
You are holy, holy, holy.
I want to be holy like You are.
You are everything that is bright and clean
And You're covering me with Your majesty.
And the truest sign of grace was this:
From wounded hands redemption fell down,
Liberating man
You are holy, holy, holy,
All heaven cries, "Holy, holy God."
You are holy, holy, holy.
I want to be holy like You are.
But the harder I try the more clearly can I
Feel the depth of our fall and the weight of it all.
And so this might be the most impossible thing:
Your grandness in me making me clean.
Glory, hallelujah
Glory, glory, hallelujah
So here I am all of me
Finally everything.
Wholly, wholly, wholly
I am wholly, wholly, wholly
I am wholly, wholly, wholly Yours.
I am full of earth and dirt and You."
-David Crowder 2005 (from A Collision)
p.s. chords for this song are in Soul Survivor book 4. And if, like me, you like linking songs together, then you'll be glad to hear that this is another song which you can easily link with 'The stand', 'inside out', 'awesome God', 'mighty to save', etc. via the chorus and bridge.
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
Chapter 4
And so, the time has come to fill you all in briefly on what is happening and has been happening in the world of Ro - although, apart from one or two people I'm aware of, I'm not entirely sure who reads blogs still; Facebook seems to have taken over from Blogger now really as the trendiest method of communication, but oh well...
Anyway, tomorrow is the day I move to Cambridge (well, when I say MOVE, it's complicated). For those who I haven't gotten round to telling yet, I now have a job there, working in a lab. I start this coming friday. I now also have a place to live - I am renting a flat, but the contract only begins on monday so I am staying overnight in a hotel tomorrow night, so I can get to work on friday. I also now have a car (which I love driving), which I somehow have to get up to Cambridge during the course of the next week or so, I think the plan atm is to drive it up at the weekend. It feels like there is a lot of change going on in my life at the moment, with everything happening at once - so many new things I have never had to think about before. But although I will miss everyone at home and in Bristol, and I'm really sorry that I won't be around to be a support to certain people, and although I feel nervous about starting somewhere new (although, not completely from scratch this time) I nevertheless do feel good about the move - it's a bit late to get out of it now anyway (!) I think it's the right thing for me at this time, if such a thing exists. I will feel a bit less hastled though and will be able to think about things more once I have moved and settled in ! I will be back, both to home and Bristol, to visit people and I would love it if anyone wanted to come to visit me, once I'm a bit settled.
Anyway, that's the short version of the story as it's all I have time for at the minute. I have things to go and sort out before tomorrow. (No more of this spending every waking hour on the internet - not that I have ever done that, but hey...) I hope everyone is well whatever they are all up to. I shall still try to post occasionally on here about how I'm getting on in Cambridge. But until the next time, so long ! Tomorrow chapter 4 officially begins...
Anyway, tomorrow is the day I move to Cambridge (well, when I say MOVE, it's complicated). For those who I haven't gotten round to telling yet, I now have a job there, working in a lab. I start this coming friday. I now also have a place to live - I am renting a flat, but the contract only begins on monday so I am staying overnight in a hotel tomorrow night, so I can get to work on friday. I also now have a car (which I love driving), which I somehow have to get up to Cambridge during the course of the next week or so, I think the plan atm is to drive it up at the weekend. It feels like there is a lot of change going on in my life at the moment, with everything happening at once - so many new things I have never had to think about before. But although I will miss everyone at home and in Bristol, and I'm really sorry that I won't be around to be a support to certain people, and although I feel nervous about starting somewhere new (although, not completely from scratch this time) I nevertheless do feel good about the move - it's a bit late to get out of it now anyway (!) I think it's the right thing for me at this time, if such a thing exists. I will feel a bit less hastled though and will be able to think about things more once I have moved and settled in ! I will be back, both to home and Bristol, to visit people and I would love it if anyone wanted to come to visit me, once I'm a bit settled.
Anyway, that's the short version of the story as it's all I have time for at the minute. I have things to go and sort out before tomorrow. (No more of this spending every waking hour on the internet - not that I have ever done that, but hey...) I hope everyone is well whatever they are all up to. I shall still try to post occasionally on here about how I'm getting on in Cambridge. But until the next time, so long ! Tomorrow chapter 4 officially begins...
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
One day, I'll blog again...
...but in the meantime, until I get around to trying to fill bloggers in on the craziness that has been the last few months, here's something to amuse you. (Amused me anyway). Taken from the current edition of Reader's Digest (which is a humour special). :-D
Monday, August 06, 2007
The radical middle
Well, it's now been just over a week since I moved back home for a bit. I've been missing everyone in Bristol, despite having been glad to also see a few friends here and spend time with family, and I still very much feel like I'm trying to come to terms with everything that happened in Romania. (It was good, if slightly unexpected, though to see two friends from Woodies at Riverside for the morning service yesterday). I now won't be online tho much for the next month(ish) as this thursday we go away on holiday for a while (yet more foreign languages to pretend to be able to speak!). I don't know still what happens when we return. I'll have to play that by ear somehow. However, before I go I wanted to make a book recommendation...
I'm currently reading a book called "The quest for the radical middle - a history of the Vineyard". I haven't got a long way into it yet, but what I've read so far is very interesting. I'd recommend it not only those who have a history with Vineyard churches but also anyone who is interested in general Church history and also any Christian who knows what it means to be trying to hold together so many of the tensions of the Christian life.
I'm currently reading a book called "The quest for the radical middle - a history of the Vineyard". I haven't got a long way into it yet, but what I've read so far is very interesting. I'd recommend it not only those who have a history with Vineyard churches but also anyone who is interested in general Church history and also any Christian who knows what it means to be trying to hold together so many of the tensions of the Christian life.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
We're back !
In case you hadn’t worked it out or I haven’t had the chance to be in contact, I am now safely back in the UK after our trip to Romania. We got back late last tuesday night, so I'm sorry for not updating you all until now. We had a good trip overall – many challenges (as some of you will know), but we saw and learnt a lot of good things and we saw God move in amazing ways. Thank you to those of you who have been praying for the team while we were in Romania. Much appreciated. I have now written a mammoth report of our trip, detailing some of the things we got up to. Many of you should have received this already, but in case you've been left off the list for some reason but you would like a copy, then do let me know. (And when I say it's a mammoth one, I really mean that ! But it's hopefully worth taking the time to read.)
p.s. some of my photos are now up on facebook, if you haven't discovered that already.
p.p.s. The New Root are playing a gig at The Croft this friday. Details should hopefully by on their website as usual. Should be a great night. Do come along - I'd love to see people if they're around, as I should be there and it will be my last evening in Bristol ! :-( (Unless I manage to find a job and come back in September that is). Although, what better way is there to spend my last evening than with a New Root gig ?!!
p.s. some of my photos are now up on facebook, if you haven't discovered that already.
p.p.s. The New Root are playing a gig at The Croft this friday. Details should hopefully by on their website as usual. Should be a great night. Do come along - I'd love to see people if they're around, as I should be there and it will be my last evening in Bristol ! :-( (Unless I manage to find a job and come back in September that is). Although, what better way is there to spend my last evening than with a New Root gig ?!!
Saturday, July 07, 2007
Well here we go !
I can't believe we're actually going tomorrow. There's been so much preparation going on this last week, but we're finally leaving early tomorrow morning. This week has been interesting -both last placements and lots of goodbyes at the same time as preparations for Romania. I don't think it's really sunk in yet that I'm no longer a year teamer. I'm focusing on next week first really, which I guess is a good thing otherwise I might be even sadder than I am. But I am excited about this trip now. We've met most of the team we're going with twice now. They all seem great and it's going to be good getting to know them better. In a way it feels like this is now the chance to see if we can put into action all that we've been learning this year; can we do in big team what we've been doing in small team all year. It's amazing to be so supported in prayer too. There are so many people who have said they'll be praying for me and who have prayed for me, and I appreciate it so much ! Without God being at work, what would be the point of this trip and camp ?!
Anyway, I should stop rambling now. I finished packing a while ago but I need to go get something to eat and then have an early night, in preparation for a long day of travelling tomorrow.
I won't be able to be contacted for the next 9 days now (from tomorrow) as I shouldn't think we'll have any internet access and mobile phone coverage might be sketchy. But I will post again once I'm back to let you all know how the trip went. In the meanwhile, have a good 9 days everyone !!! Continued prayers while we are away are much appreciated.
Anyway, I should stop rambling now. I finished packing a while ago but I need to go get something to eat and then have an early night, in preparation for a long day of travelling tomorrow.
I won't be able to be contacted for the next 9 days now (from tomorrow) as I shouldn't think we'll have any internet access and mobile phone coverage might be sketchy. But I will post again once I'm back to let you all know how the trip went. In the meanwhile, have a good 9 days everyone !!! Continued prayers while we are away are much appreciated.
Sunday, July 01, 2007
Trip to Romania July 2007
At the end of our year on year team, 5 of us from the team are going out to Romania next sunday (8th) for 9 days, to help with a kids camp and to visit some families. We are going as part of a team of 25ish. It's so soon! (We had a training morning yesterday). It's exciting but also fairly daunting too. I am just in the process of sending out a prayer letter, about the end of year team and more details of our trip and some prayer points. If any of you don't receive a copy (either because I forget to put you on the list or I don't have your correct details) but you would like a copy then please do let me know and I'll e-mail one to you !
You can find out more about the work of Eurovangelism, the Bristol-based organisation who have organised the trip and who do a lot of work in Eastern Europe, either on their website or their prayer blog
You can find out more about the work of Eurovangelism, the Bristol-based organisation who have organised the trip and who do a lot of work in Eastern Europe, either on their website or their prayer blog
Friday, June 29, 2007
You know you've been on the woodies year team when...
-when you can tell, just by scanning around a room, which chairs are in stacks of 8 and which aren't
-Chairs in stacks other than 8's just 'look wrong'
-You get a lot of satisfaction every time you look at the sink that you've just cleaned
-You've become an expert at looking for the joins in carpets to enable easier vacumming of big open spaces
-spending an evening scraping walls no longer sounds like an odd thing to do
-You're starting to come round to the idea that orange sofas with red cushions might not look quite so bad together after all
-You have many new skills to add to your cv, including: making an excellent tea or coffee (even if you don't drink it yourself), lining up chairs in straight lines, being able to carry a tray of wine glasses up/down steps without dropping them, being able to carry a stack of 8 chairs using your knees, mopping floors, being able to read childrens' books upside down (so they can see the pictures), filling up baptistry tanks, oh and did I mention being able to put out chairs in straight lines ?
:-D More seriously though...It's hard to believe year team is coming to an end already. In some senses it has gone by so quickly, yet I had my end of year review today and in other senses so much has happened ! We officially have one and a bit more weeks on year team, and then are off to Romania for 10days to help with a kids camp. Before I started year team people said to me that I would be challenged physically, emotionally, spiritually, and any other -ally's I could think of, but that it would be a good year. I do feel that is very true. But it is so hard saying goodbye to so many people, those that I have worked with for a year as I end my placements this week and next as well as to those who are themselves moving on. I know that this is not, by far, the end but is in fact only the beginning of something, yet I still cannot help but feel an ache in my heart, despite the fact that I know I still have another week.
A song I have found most helpful this week (one which I had in my head during my driving test but has since been used for more than that) is "Well with my soul", or the arrangement of it by Brenton Brown. (I know the context it was written in is very different to how I'm using it, but it nevertheless seems to fit how I'm feeling). It goes:
"Sometimes it's hard, sometimes I cry
Sometimes my heart, wants to know why
But Your yoke is easy, and Your burden is light
And though my heart is aching and there're tears in my eyes
Whatever my lot, You have taught me to know
It is well, it is well with my soul.
It's not always easy, I'm not always right
Sometimes I do things that are wrong in Your sight
But I have decided I'm going to follow Jesus
And there's no turning back, there's no turning back
But please hold my hand Lord, and hold on tight
'Cause the road here is narrow
Yes the road here is narrow"
-Brenton Brown
Whatever I've learnt this year I am not going to just forget. God has been building foundations in me (which implies now building on top of them?!) and I won't be going back. There's no turning back, only keeping on going forwards !
-Chairs in stacks other than 8's just 'look wrong'
-You get a lot of satisfaction every time you look at the sink that you've just cleaned
-You've become an expert at looking for the joins in carpets to enable easier vacumming of big open spaces
-spending an evening scraping walls no longer sounds like an odd thing to do
-You're starting to come round to the idea that orange sofas with red cushions might not look quite so bad together after all
-You have many new skills to add to your cv, including: making an excellent tea or coffee (even if you don't drink it yourself), lining up chairs in straight lines, being able to carry a tray of wine glasses up/down steps without dropping them, being able to carry a stack of 8 chairs using your knees, mopping floors, being able to read childrens' books upside down (so they can see the pictures), filling up baptistry tanks, oh and did I mention being able to put out chairs in straight lines ?
:-D More seriously though...It's hard to believe year team is coming to an end already. In some senses it has gone by so quickly, yet I had my end of year review today and in other senses so much has happened ! We officially have one and a bit more weeks on year team, and then are off to Romania for 10days to help with a kids camp. Before I started year team people said to me that I would be challenged physically, emotionally, spiritually, and any other -ally's I could think of, but that it would be a good year. I do feel that is very true. But it is so hard saying goodbye to so many people, those that I have worked with for a year as I end my placements this week and next as well as to those who are themselves moving on. I know that this is not, by far, the end but is in fact only the beginning of something, yet I still cannot help but feel an ache in my heart, despite the fact that I know I still have another week.
A song I have found most helpful this week (one which I had in my head during my driving test but has since been used for more than that) is "Well with my soul", or the arrangement of it by Brenton Brown. (I know the context it was written in is very different to how I'm using it, but it nevertheless seems to fit how I'm feeling). It goes:
"Sometimes it's hard, sometimes I cry
Sometimes my heart, wants to know why
But Your yoke is easy, and Your burden is light
And though my heart is aching and there're tears in my eyes
Whatever my lot, You have taught me to know
It is well, it is well with my soul.
It's not always easy, I'm not always right
Sometimes I do things that are wrong in Your sight
But I have decided I'm going to follow Jesus
And there's no turning back, there's no turning back
But please hold my hand Lord, and hold on tight
'Cause the road here is narrow
Yes the road here is narrow"
-Brenton Brown
Whatever I've learnt this year I am not going to just forget. God has been building foundations in me (which implies now building on top of them?!) and I won't be going back. There's no turning back, only keeping on going forwards !
Monday, June 25, 2007
I PASSED !!!
I passed my driving test this morning !!! (9 minors) A big relief. Thank you so much to all of you who have been so supportive, encouraging and have prayed for me !!!
I was so unbelievably nervous this morning after I woke up - I spent about an hour trying to calm myself down by listening to worship songs. I think that did help, as during my actual test I wasn't really very nervous at all, just concentrating on what I had to do, and I was able to hold onto some of those songs as I started to feel nervous. (In particular I had: "how Great" - David Crowder, "It is well with my soul" - the Brenton Brown version and "We are one tonight" - Switchfoot stuck in my head).
One more thing ticked off the list. (It might be a little while though before I have my own car, much as everyone would now like me to take them out for a drive!) Just now have to finish my Mullers assignments for tomorrow - when it's my last day at our Theology course. We have the last of everything at the moment, which is really sad. I don't want to leave Woodies.
I was so unbelievably nervous this morning after I woke up - I spent about an hour trying to calm myself down by listening to worship songs. I think that did help, as during my actual test I wasn't really very nervous at all, just concentrating on what I had to do, and I was able to hold onto some of those songs as I started to feel nervous. (In particular I had: "how Great" - David Crowder, "It is well with my soul" - the Brenton Brown version and "We are one tonight" - Switchfoot stuck in my head).
One more thing ticked off the list. (It might be a little while though before I have my own car, much as everyone would now like me to take them out for a drive!) Just now have to finish my Mullers assignments for tomorrow - when it's my last day at our Theology course. We have the last of everything at the moment, which is really sad. I don't want to leave Woodies.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Driving (again)
I feel so exhausted ! Nervous energy is so draining. I've just come back from my last driving lesson before my test (on monday!) Hopefully it will be ok - my instructor reckons it will anyway - as long as I manage to stay calm !!! A couple of weeks ago I failed my mock test, purely because I was driving far too fast and so made more mistakes (as I was so nervous!) Today i really concentrated on trying to keep my nerves down; trying to think of other things, to pretend there's noone else in the car with me and just enjoy driving...; but it's so hard !!! Especially after you make one mistake, trying to not let the nerves spiral. Well, I'm going home this weekend - for my Mum's birthday but I should also be able to get a bit of driving practise in too, in which I'll have to work on this ! So, for those of you reading this who are Christians and know God, prayers would be much appreciated - both in the run up and on monday morning itself ! I'll be sure to post up here after monday to let you all know how I've done ! But for now, I just need to concentrate on work I have to do and try to regain a bit of energy before I go out again in a bit !
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
More fun
I found this postcard in Wesley Owen the other day. A little out of season, but I bought it anyway 'cause it made me laugh lots. (It says on the back of the postcard: "God has brought me laughter" Genesis 21:6) I hope you appreciate it as much as I did ! :-)
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Star Wars,Star Trek and Monty Python
I seem to be very good at procrastinating at the moment - I think it's because I have a lot to do, which I don't want to have to do. (The usual reasons). But anyway, last night I discovered a lot of funny video clips on youtube (courtesy of a friend's link on facebook) which I thought I'd share. There are a lot of good ones involving star wars, star trek, Monty Python or a combination of the 3. I thought I'd share a couple of the best (in my opinion) ones:
Monthy Python (black knight) meets Star Wars
Star Trek meets Monty Python
Star Wars vs Star Trek
Star Wars mistakes
Star Wars help desk
Star Wars episode 1 bloopers
They should all be funny in their own right, but the first 3 might be more amusing if you actually know the proper scenes to which these are refering. Well, at least they were funny late last night !
In other news I've started saying "Genius" a lot (instead of for example, that's great or brilliant). Don't know where I've picked that one up from !
Monthy Python (black knight) meets Star Wars
Star Trek meets Monty Python
Star Wars vs Star Trek
Star Wars mistakes
Star Wars help desk
Star Wars episode 1 bloopers
They should all be funny in their own right, but the first 3 might be more amusing if you actually know the proper scenes to which these are refering. Well, at least they were funny late last night !
In other news I've started saying "Genius" a lot (instead of for example, that's great or brilliant). Don't know where I've picked that one up from !
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