I had a really exciting day today as I met with 2 groups of church leaders, in Sittingbourne and on the Hoo Peninsula, who are very interested in setting up a YFC centre in their areas.
Both groups were exciting to be with as their passion and desire to see young people reached with the gospel with so obvious is just made you want to smile, or cry, or both!
It looks like both groups want to go ahead – and I left each meeting thinking ‘Yeah … working with church leaders can be good after all!’
Today has been a day of pain. It must be sign of my age! As I bent down to have a shave this morning I put my back out! I know it’s laughable (as Sarah and the children have not stopped laughing!), but it is flipping painful! I hope it improves tonight as I want to play volleyball tomorrow night!
I’m told it is all part of getting old. My other symptoms:
– having an eye test and being told I probably need glasses to read
– looking at your 11 year old son and remembering his birth like yesterday
– thinking about how to mark my 40th birthday later this year
– driving a people carrier rather than a sportier model
I have not yet got to the stage where I say ‘what are they singing about luvvy?’ when I see Top of The Pops or something similar. No doubt that will come. I fear that I will soon be seen loitering outside slipper and pipe shops and thinking how good I look in a blazer and brogues!
I thought I was comfortable with this whole becoming 40 thing – maybe I am not!
It’s amazing how much things slow down when you are in pain out of a necessity. It’s amazing how pulling one little muscle has a major effect on the rest of the body. As I sit here typing at the end of the day, I can feel stressed muscles aching in ways they do not usually because they have been compensating for the one I pulled.
It’s cheesy, but today has shown the reality of the church as the body and how it aches and strains when one part is injured or unable or unwilling to do its bit. It has reinforced to me that now I am no longer director of the local para-church organisation that I have no real excuse for not getting involved in my local church, which just confirms what I have been thinking really.
I was tempted to take the day off but I had an exciting diary today so made use of the painkillers and went to 2 exciting meetings.
Its been a mad,hecic but fun weekend.
Tom is 11 today and I feel old!
Last night he had a few friends for a ‘sleepover’ which must be the largest misnomer ever! Lets call it a stay-awake-as-long-as-we-can over’!
played badminton with Jim .. and lost!
watched Tom play on a freezing Saturday morning
but Gillingham won 1-0 which was excellent!
I watched the match with a friend and his 6 year old daughter who constantly cheered the gills on and told jokes -both cute and excellent! (made possible by 2 other lovely generous friends!)
found time for a drink with my brother and sister in law
had a coffee with Sarah’s parents
a variety weekend but it has left me feeling relaxed, refreshed and ready for whatever the week wishes to throw at me this coming week.
Found this on Dave’s blog and it made me laugh … and I’m preaching at the end of the month so maybe …
SAN ANTONIO Pastor Tom Kirkland, who spelled the phrase “u suck” in his five-point outline last Sunday, has apologized to his church.
“I should have looked it over more carefully,” he says. “It was late Saturday night when I finished. I’m sorry.”
His five points, based on the story of Abraham, were:
Understand your calling
Say yes to God
Use the abilities he gave you
Call on him during hard times
Keep going!
Plenty of people were offended.
“When I realized what he was spelling, I flipped over my outline so my son wouldn’t see it,” says Ursula Thompson, 46. The message of the sermon was lost on her, she says.
But others say it’s not the first time “unintentional” acrostics have popped up lately. Kirkland, they suspect, is telegraphing his deep-rooted dissatisfaction.
“He spelled ‘losers’ one Sunday and ‘get lost’ the next, and apologized for those, too,” says one woman. “He’s getting little kicks out of it.”
just had to put this on the blog!! Its given me so many wicked ideas!! Anyone want me to preach at there church soon???
The new update website for Sri Lanka YFC’s tsunami relief effort is now up and running.
I may not have had a chance to ask the question but Dawn and lots of women priests had time with him in the morning and they felt encouraged so the report says.
Well if you were ever in any doubt; the election campaign has well and truly started!
We had to wait 30 minutes for the Prime Minister to appear but he did, he spoke for an hour (which actually only felt like 10 minutes) and then was whisked away again.
I was disappointed that he did not take questions, but not surprised. I do wish the event was not so slickly engineered and that the people who had given up time to be there could have had the opportunity to question. A lady next to me from Gravesend had cancelled a minor eye operation so she could be there. I think she deserved more.
I was sat in the second row almost within touching distance and (although I will admit I am biased as a member of the party!)experienced what I thought was genuine passion, concern and desire to see the country continue to improve. He may of course be a very good actor, but being so close the body language and eyes spoke of honesty, integrity and of someone who passionately believed what they were saying.
I have said the hour went quickly, but I suppose I should not be surprised that our PM is an excellent communicator who can use humour, asides and make fun of himself in a way that reinforces and supports the message he is trying to make.
It is reported elsewhere but he spoke mainly about what prosperity for all, his definition being not just wealth, but of opportunity to fulfill dreams and the freedom to live our lives the way we want with minimum government intervention. If you are interested you can read his whole speech here.
It was a great experience and good to her first hand.
Today I am a little excited. I’m going to meet the Prime Minister. Ok, so 30 or 40 other people will be there as well. But last night I had a phonecall asking me if I’d like a seat. I accepted and need to take my passport to prove who I am to get in.
I’m looking forward to hearing what he has to say and how he relates to questions. I want to ask him what he thinks of the Make Poverty History campaign and whether he believes he can use his presidency of the EU alongside the G8 summit being in the UK to make a difference as the campaign suggests, or whether he thinks the situation is so bad there is nothing we can do.
I doubt I’ll get the chance, but if I do I will let you know what he says.
He was right there in the waves with the people.
He was left for dead on the sand.
He cried out to his father in fear.
He understands.
Andy Harrington prints the appeal from Sri Lanka YFC here.
Please help if you can.
The Shiny Headed Prophet 