Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Revision

I am trying to revise but it's difficult when I don't actually understand what I'm reading, or it's been written is such a way that leaves me wondering why I ever chose to do a degree.
I've managed to cover Isaiah 1-12 and the Church in the 19th Century today. In note form. I can;t decide whether exams being so close together is a good thing or not. I'm looking forward to two weeks time today - I'll be seeing Karen, after finishing my last exam - I'd best get on with the revision really.
I couldn't get an assignment back because I'm lazy and didn't realise we have to write a note for someone else to collect them, I guess it doesn't matter anyway, I know I'm not going to get anything other that comments because of the ridiculous strike!

Tuesday, May 30, 2006

The Weekend

I can now add another event to my CV. I have planned and run over 4 hours of activities for 3-5 year olds, over a weekend, and with a small team. Yeay! It was a really got experience and I got one proposal and a new boyfriend - both of whom I declined (obviously) as they were several years my junior!
It was really good to see Helen and the members of St Andrews, as I haven't seen most of them since Helen's knee op in August. She's in lots of pain which wasn't helped by the fact that her team weren't encouraging and just wanted to run around with the children. I'm not going to say much more cos I know she's reading! Helen did a brilliant job and her church are very lucky to have her for another year.
As for me I'm absolutely exhausted but unable to sleep, because I've done nothing all day other than catch up on sleep. Need a routine again!

Thursday, May 25, 2006

Very very last

Middle Pages

This is a photo of the card I received from the children at Fulshaw Lodge this morning. I'm not going to see them again and I'm absolutely gutted. It's been a great experience and definitely the end of an era for me, in some ways saying goodbye to them was harder than finishing my degree. I know I'll get to see my housemates and youth group again, but the pre-school is closing down so I've only got until December to see them again.

I've learnt so much over the last three years - from uni and working at pre-school. The things I have volunteered to do have taught me more in so many ways, but I am really looking forward to graduating in November - hopefully with a 2:2! All of my assignments are in and now I have three exams and one final lecture to go! Scary, but good fun all the way to the end.

One thing I will say is, why do students have to get incredibly drunk to enjoy themselves? I went to the sports awards and I've never seen so many healthy people (some of whom are at the top of their sport) drunk, they keep going until they can't stand up. It's not big and its not clever.

Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Assignments and jobs

The past 24 hours has been a bit up an down really. I've started doing my 'lasts' again. I haven't quite finished all of my lectures, but I have had my last monday in Uni. Many of the lecturers are realising that this is the last week they'll teach udergraduate students on the TRS scheme. At the moment I have only one assignment left to do, having done one today, unfortunately I've left the hardest til last, not the wisest idea, but I'm going to get it done.

Also I received a phone call to say that the finance for next year had been sorted and now all I've got to worry about is my accommodation and job description. So I was ultra happy with that piece of news first thing in the week. This afternoon I received an email to say that I'd been asked for interview in Swindon. The interview seemed a bit much for me though, it is in the middle of exam time and two full days, if I were to be successful. It's a baptist church so everyone gets a say in who is employed, which means that if the first day went well I would have to preach and lead twice on the Sunday. The Baptist way of doing things is slightly too daunting for me, so I'm sticking to Bristol for a year. I actually panicked when I saw the layout for the interview - one talk of under 10's, one assembly, and a small group talk too, then a more formal interview! Oh my goodness.

Still I don't have to worry I'm not going for it, but I'm looking forward to doing the same thing next when looking for a full time, better paid job!

Sunday, May 21, 2006

Share it

Namely faith, Christianity, what Christ has done for the world. Fusion heard about the life of someone who has been carried through his life and is now off to Tanzania to build a school because that's God's calling on his life.
It's hard to share faith with people, those you know and strangers, but lots of good can come from it. I believe that all those who have faith in Christ are called to sow seeds. That's all we can do, it's God's job to do the rest. So next time you feel you're failing understand one thing - God is carrying you and helping you plant seeds.

He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. Matt 17:20

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Other religions

Well, more like, sects of Christianity who have got it wrong. Mormons, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. There are loads of other names I could call them, but I think I would be hunted if I did so.
They're not a bad lot, just slightly twisted in the head really. Umm...which would you rather read - the Gospels which were written at the end of the first/second century B.C. or something that was written in the 1800's, after a vision in a field? Thankfully I've chosen the former, a trinity that exists as one and God who speaks a whole load of sense. Not three separate entities and the belief in a prophet who is still trying to bridge the gap across the ravine.
Christ is alive, God speaks and the Holy Spirit guides and I am going to burn the book I was given. God told me to do so!

Dissertation, done and dusty!

You may as well have a look at the hugest piece of writing I've done so far.

The Title!

Isn't it just brilliant?!

Football on tonight, Champions League final, I'm an Arsenal fan. I'm looking forward to having a pint or two during the match - of lemonade!

Right I'm going back to work, thanks Dad for your useful tip!!!

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

9,794, 52 pages, 1 ink cartridge

And I have finished! What a relief, no I can stop worrying about that and begin my other assignments that are due over the next week or so. I still have 4000 words to go before I can start revision. It never ends! But this afternoon it's being put on hold. I'm going to buy myself a good piece of meat and take my time eating it. I think I deserve a chocolate pudding too.
First of all I have to get the thing bound!

Dissertation

It's stupidly early on Tuesday morning and I am about to go to bed. As I didn't sleep too well last night I thought I'd work till I was falling asleep this evening, knowing that my English skills go slightly wonky, with or without the aid of alcoholic beverages, after midnight, but also knowing that I need to have a clear head for the last bit of my diss tomorrow.
I have made a huge jump forward tonight. I have been sat in the same spot for nearly 7 hours, but I have managed to finish my diss. 9,564 - without edits, so it's likely to get longer. Not the magic 10,000 I was hoping for, but 500 words short is not too bad eh? My longest chapter is a whopping 3,620 words, my shortest only being 966 at the moment.
Shall blog later on today when I've done everything to go with it or with the news that it's been handed in.
Good Night xxx
P.S. Those who read my blog in the middle of the night are as mad as me!

Monday, May 15, 2006

Exam timetables

After having a not so exciting lecture this morning I am in a slightly better mood after finding that my exams will be finished by 13 June. I only have three, so this is quite an achievement for the exam board to put them this early on. Unfortunately it's not within the first week, which would have been ideal, but an 11.15 Tuesday finish on the second week is not bad!
Just got to get the assignments in first!

Under selling...

...Myself, and all the hard work I've done for my dissertation. As ever. I've always been like this and I don't think its going to change.
I have a few changes to make, but I'm hoping that me dissertation will be ready by Friday, only a week late, nothing major.
First of all though I have lectures to go to and a present to post - guess who turns 50 this Sunday?

Sunday, May 14, 2006

Speaking at Fusion

Well I didn't exactly speak, or preach, more guided the teenagers as they looked at 1 John 4:7-21. It was a good evening with great food, I can't believe I had a proper dinner and ate a burger and a half! As well as sweets. I'm running to uni tomoro!
The weekend has been lots of fun. We went to a birthday party and met some awesome people. We went to the theatre and saw Festen, which was unusual and an interesting play, I would like to see the original movie. Something exciting for Harry Potter fans, I've seen Tom Riddle (Chamber of Secrets) in the flesh! I'm going to keep my opinion to myself - otherwise I'll get in trouble! Also went shopping in Worcester in the pouring rain and now understand shirt sizes, I am becoming a wife! Oh dear!
Strangest thing - cooking in someone else's kitchen, one that you're not familiar with, but see at least once a month - if not every week. Dunno why, and for some reason it's not something I would do regularly.

Friday, May 12, 2006

A blast from the past and something to be proud of...

I received a letter today from someone I haven't heard from since 1999/2000. Ok so it doesn't seem a long time a go for some people but for me, at the tender age of 21, it is so in the past I can see how much I have developed. I've achieved a lot since I was 15, but I won't go into that.

It was a letter from someone I used to go on holiday with. There was a big group of us and I've still got the photo of that holiday camp somewhere. Very strange, there are little things about that holiday and the following year that stick in my mind. Most are really good, though there are a few I want to forget. 6 years is a long time and it will be interesting if we do meet up in the future.

My housemate finished her dissertation today and I am so proud of her. I'm proud of everyone at the moment. I think its a great achievement to write such a big piece and the relief when she hands it in will be awesome. Yes I almost cried, but then I know how much has gone into it and how she feels about it.

Finally, those who complain about the washing up should be shot!

Thursday, May 11, 2006

Because I'm bored (again) and frustrated

The internet has gone crazy. Everything has been stupidly slow today, including myself. Things are taking forever to load and I'm finding out how crap MSN can be. I now have a space on MSN and a myspace account. Myspace is a whole lot better, MSN is just a poor attempt at a copy, but saying that MYspace has a load of faults.
For a start is from the US, so doesn't have school contacts yet, you have to be really observant when creating your profile and have to download a program to resize all of your photos!
Ok generally I am over heating and suffering from lack of sleep, so once I've got into my uni account I shall be switching everything off!

Clarification

Thank you for your comment Dad. Let me change the question - it's not about music or luck. Lennon and Di (in my mind) are a more likely comparison than Di and Elvis on political merit. Lennon did his massive peace bed bit and Di did the HIV/AIDS thing in the 80's. I think that's how I compare them. Did Elvis do any peace rallies? Didn't he actually serve in the army? See where I'm coming from?

David Beckham dying - probably, Tony Blair? Is there a celebrity doing 'good work' that everyone knows about? Good work is written like that deliberately - we discussed the notion of a 'good work'. How is a celebrity holding a baby who has HIV a good work? Yes they are raising awareness and looking at what is being done for the suffering millions, but they go away when the cameras leave. They don't stick around and truly make a difference.

Does society strike anyone as post-Christian? Is Di the modern equivalent of Christ? From the previous statement I would say no, but I wonder what everyone else thinks? What would be the modern equivalent of Christ?

Oh sorry, bit deep for a Thursday evening!

Killing time...

I'm in that place where I'm so bored and tired that I don't know what to do with myself. I'm not sleeping particularly well and getting up early. Obviously that leaves me tired all day, so it gets to about 4pm and I just stop, especially when I've had to talk about the 'cult of celebrity' for the previous two hours.

Apparently the death of Diana tells us a lot about popular culture and the religion of the society we live in. I understand that, but is it necessary to ask really long questions on such a wonderful afternoon? Oh and making really bad comparisons. How was Elvis anything like Princess Di? Surely John Lennons a better match? For those of you who lived in that era could tell me? I think I'm talking about icons of our time, are there people who we perceive in the same way as we did with Di? Would there be a mass out pouring of grief if someone who is uber-famous died tomorrow?

Public reaction is a funny thing. I've filled my time rather nicely. I'm off to 'be free' at chaplaincy!

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

New Vicar

Looks like I'm going to be the first person to break the news to the world. Christ Church, Billericay has a new vicar. His name is Warner Pidgeon (yes I laughed too!) and he's from Southampton.
So nothing unusual, except I'm linked to him. Yes there are a lot of Christians in England and some how I am slowly being linked to all of them in one way or another. How do I know this guy? He knows Gav, I know Helen and Helen and Gav work in the same church, got it? Weird, but I guess there's a reason behind it, though I can see my church and Helen's church doing swapsies!
For those of you wh are doing or have done a dissertation, mine is 7,321 words done. Thats 2 and a half chapters pretty much. I'm getting there, though I'm not as pressured as some to finish.

A lesson in youth work

I had a wonderful meeting this morning that was totally not focused on the task ahead, namely that I am talking on Sunday about love IT (standing for informed truth). It's difficult to become focused when the person you are working with isn't particularly in the mood for a bit of a business chat. Any way we got it done, and I am confidant that the youth will totally understand where I am coming from and what it's all about (maybe not).

Apologies to Karen and Nick, I didn't realise we were using Karen's blog as a forum for wedding ideas! Ed in a blue tie - well worth it, if he matches properly - I hope he doesn't look too girly. Ed and Danielle getting married, still something I have to get my head around, in fact I'm still trying to get my head around my own! Ed does have to make his own decisions, but thats only when it comes down to best man and possibly stag do, otherwise it's totally Danielle and her bridal party I'm afraid!

Tuesday, May 09, 2006

It's the little things...

Well, actually, it's more like mile stones in life. I completed another chapter of my dissertation today. Two chapters and 6,300 down, 2 chapters and 3,700 words to go!
Needless to say, I'm having a rest!
My Dad has published a photo that I'm sure is going to be close to my heart in the coming years. Thanks Dad. It's taken in the grounds of the church that we're getting married in. Lovely!
Right back to work, I have four essays to plan this evening and dinner to buy!

Monday, May 08, 2006

Dripping wet

I'm half talking about the awful weather this morning and my washing that I had to put out. One of my housemates, I am yet to find out who, decided to pull my washing out after only spining it once. Now this wouldn't be a problem if our washing machine wasn't ancient and I hadn't filled it (but not over filled). So I went to lift my basket and almost broke my back doing so, tipped water all over the floor and was late for my lecture because I had to wring everything, and even then it was still dripping. I did text everyone to let them know my dilemma, and I'm so glad I cleaned the bathroom last week. I'm still majorly annoyed though. It takes five mins to spin again, the person who did it is lucky that I don't leave things to do at the end of the day!

I have decided to spend next year at Bristol. It's going to be a good place for me. A mixture of schools, church and student work (be aware all those at UWE!) that will give me some good experiences to help me get a proper job.

The course administrator emailed me this morning. Apparently I don't have enough knowledge of the curriculum in the surrounding area and of RE in general. This is down to a number of factors from my point of view. One - the school I was placed with didn't allow me to watch their classes. Two - RE syllabuses differ from LEA to LEA. And finally - I don't have a heart for it any more. I would love a qualification to teach, but not at the moment. Yet again I am taking a break from academia to learn fromn the Bible and experience.

Nick - what can I say, maybe I just don't promte my cause enough!

Sunday, May 07, 2006

Back in Cheltenham...

and back to work. Trying my hardest to juggle amounts off work with time off, otherwise I will die.
This evening's fusion was about the Holy Spirit and gifts there of. There are many - found in 1 Corinthians 12 mainly and naturally we were asking God to bless us with the gifts. The version you have just read (or are about to read if you click on the link) is quite good, though obviously not exhaustive. The great thing is that verse 11 says 'He (God) decides who gets what, and when', they are there for a reason, for a moment, to be used, appropriately. I'm looking forward to discovering my gifts and asking for more over time. I know at the moment I'm lacking in certain areas.

I've come across a chart song that speaks volumes to me. It's a little weird when that happens cos I tend to read far too much into secular songs, when I really shouldn't! Anyway its from the new snow patrol album (which I am so tempted to buy!) and is called 'All I have is you'. Frame of mind is definitely a weird thing, but this speaks to me, in so many ways. I'll let you try to fathom what I'm thinking!

I'm lucky if I get 5, Nick - how do you do it?

Friday, May 05, 2006

Funeral

Today has been full of mixed emotions, understandably. Lots of tears, but also incredible amounts of joy and wonderful stories of my grandad and his life. I think I'm now old enough to appreciate family, close and far.

Thank you for all your messages and support.

Nick, thanks for the hits! It's nice to see numbers growing rather than shrinking - maybe I can do the same for you (even if it is in secret!)

Wednesday, May 03, 2006

Being in Bristol...

...Well actually Stoke Gifford. I was meeting someone I may work with next year, finding out what I would be doing if I went to work with them. St Micheals is a lovely church and I could see myself working there. There are a lot of opportunities for me, maybe even assistant youth minister in a few years.
I'll keep you up to date. I've not made up my mind yet, this is a tough decision to make.

Monday, May 01, 2006

The joy and wonder of a tracker

Have you seen my tracker? Its the little box at the bottom with a globe and a 'heartbeat' around it. Dare you to click it and see what you get!

Its a great thing - it gives me the numbers of people that visit my blog every day and normally where they are from. The best days are mondays (almost a quarter of the weekly total), with a majority of people visiting the site just after dinner it seems (between 5 and 6pm). Its all very interesting and gives me much joy knowing that there are people who regularly log on to have a read.

The wonder part of it comes from the web pages and IP addresses I get in the individual tracker section. In turn I learn a lot from it. I recognise some of the addresses but not others and when that happens I do a little bit of searching. You can probably guess which ones are the most intriguing and also who visits the most!

These little things - boy I'm glad we haven't got ID cards yet...can you imagine?

Wedding stationary and other things

Karen, wedding stationary was good fun, we've got some good ideas, but now we have to decide between that or some else, and we probably should see what other people can do for us, or even if we can do it ourselves! Eek. They were lovely though and will go in the book of ideas, which needs to be updated. About FLickr, the http it gives me for each photo doesn't have a .gif, .jpeg (blah, Blah) on the end of it so I can't do it that way round. More advice please!

I am going to start work in a bit after a very late start. No lectures because it's bank holiday. I was going to get up early and work hard but the rest of my had other ideas! Hence the late blog and being annoyed at self!

Someone has got to tell me of an easier way of doing this!! Can I change my profile pic without posting a new photo of myself every time?
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Oh dear!

What can be more boring than watching the final of the Snooker World Championship? For a start its being played by the two slowest professionals I've seen in a long time - Dott and Ebdon, as well as it being Snooker, nuff sed!
And secondly, what have the BBC decided to do? Show it in ultra slow motion using a special camera. Joy. Yes of course the wonders of technology, blah, blah, but please, wondering about what a ball actually does as it gets hit by a cue or another ball, seriously? Sad or what? Plus Channel Four have been well up on this for at least a year, if memory serves me correctly (and do correct me if my memory is crap!). They used it to show that some cricket players close their eyes when they are going for a big hit off a fast ball!

Rant over. (Very good illustration of how my mind works - I only watch when nothing interesting is going on, I couldn't tell you at this moment who is winning)

One exciting piece of news. I'm going for my first job interview, with Ben, to Bristol. I'll give you the details when I know more. Its on Wednesday, so I am looking forward to the beginning of this week, and less towards the end.

Final exciting piece of news, well a fact. Did you know that there are different types of coal in the Bible? Get your Hebrew out! The coal that is mentioned when Peter denies Christ, is different from other types of coal (because of what it is made from) and is only mentioned again when Peter and Christ become friends again on the beach after the resurrection. A nice little fact to impress your friends and don't ever say I don't educate you!

Updated my Flickr account - take a peek!