Nearly there!

I am actually incredibly excited today - I'm over the 300 mile mark and I'm going on holiday, in about two hours!

I have almost sorted next weekends activities too - a little shops during this week have helped me immensely, it means I won't be rushing around like a headless chicken on the three days I'm at work next week. So far I can only think of one thing that I have forgotten and I don't think that the yong people are going to miss it if I forget entirely... though I probably won't, it's a very important part of SOLID, having hot chocolate on Friday and Saturday after the main celebration is a key part of my ministry (!?!) we all get to sit around a chat through the day and life. I must remember to pack cards too and find out if we've still got the cutlery that I brought last year!

I think this holiday is gonig to be well deserved, but I really don't know how long it will take me to switch off!

Two Thirds of the way there!

Another mile stone reached today. I'm now well on my way to being finished - here's the latest video



W're also well on our way to a very busy July... There's a holiday (at the end of the week) and a weekend away at Stubber's the week after, which I'm now an old hand at! My birthday and a special celebration party during the third weekend, by which point I will have finished my cycling, and then finally the run up to Falcon camp, and then actually Falcon camp, I'm not really going to be at church this month... but when I am it will hopefully be really exciting! We have got BBC Essex visiting church, so although I'll be at work really early on my birthday, I'll hopefully have an opportunity to hear the young families and young people on the radio!

Time to get on with work!

End of week four

It's the end of week for for my cycle and I'm 391km through - that's over half way and I'm really excited about the next 3 weeks as I head towards my goal of 400 miles. The sense of it's nearly over is a strange one, I've had a sometimes tough, sometimes easy month of it. It is a lot easier to cycle when it's cold, it's a lot easier to cycle when you're motivated to do so... it is not easy when you're angry, when you're tired, or when it's so ridiculously hot that your head pounds from standing up.

I hope I'll be finished by my birthday, I want to time it so that I don't have to do a 40min cycle on my last day (purely because I have a really early start at church), so going to 633km up to the 17th is my goal. Here's hoping that going on holiday doesn't disrupt it too much and that I'm not too tired from other things that are going on in the next three weeks.

I will video blog soon and I will remind you to sponsor me - my £1 for a mile is looking dire! http://www.justgiving.com/lizfisher400

Feeling the burn

Thankfully not sunburn! it's so hot here that cycling is becoming difficult, I am still attempting to do 20km a day, when I can fit it in, at the moment though, sleep is in order, since I'm finding it even harder to do that!

I'm taking hayfever tablets to combat grass pollen and I'm really excited about going on holiday next week with Chris.

This season of strawberries and tennis has been exciting, Andy Murray is doing well and although all our women have been knocked out, there was a very exciting visit from the Queen yesterday. It's not something she does every year, so it was nice to see her in sky blue and a very pretty hat! Here's hoping the rain stays away. It's nice to see some frilly skirts too. Wimbledon and football, plus a race this weekend means that there is a lot of sport to keep up with!

CTB are holding their annual Praise in the Park at Lake Meadows on Sunday at 11am, so if you're in the area, come and join us!

There's no Christ Church Summer Party this year due to circumstances beyond our control.

I've spent most of my working day in School - St Johns and Mayflower, talking about God and sex and then finishing well. I'm not going to lie, I find both things really hard some times, particularly in a world that is full of lies and a focus on the negative. Some very interesting conversations came out with a lot of the students. I think when we re-start in September, it's going to be really interesting!

Halfway!

Just after I'd done my halfway cycle - I'm actually now on 331km, my maths has suffered a bit from the hayfever (hence the sniffle) and lack for sleep - I some times don't know if I'm coming or going... What I do know is that some people are sponsoring me, for which I am truly grateful... I am some £350 behind my traget though, so if you feel the need please visit my justgiving page.

I'm up late because I'm waiting for my room and body to be a sensible temperature before I try to sleep.

I'm trying to beat my target of 384 this week, considering there are a few days coming up when I can't cycle. I may be able to walk though, but I'll keep tabs on that because it will only be short distances.

In other new, England are through, the longest tennis match still goes on and the churches will meet together on Sunday morning for the annual Praise in the Park...there's also a grand prix going on, and a birthday to plan for...26 soon!

The words I use the most!

Have a look!

Giving Blood

I should be shutting down, ready to do some mentoring in town, but I thought I'd say a quick hello, and to make you aware that I did a very cautious 6km this morning. I'm always wary of doing exercise after giving blood and I did feel a little sick and light headed...but I got there and I am well on the way to completing this challenge... I've got 4 days off in a row at the start of July, so I will be working hard either side of that to do the km I need to have a restful last week! Scary stuff that we are now thinking about the end already!

Time to go and do some work!

201km

I'm attempting a video diary on the prompting of my vicar who is geat at doing this. I'm not so great, but for the time being (until I get hold of some editing software) this will do. Please have a watch and think about sponsoring me - I'm now up to 201km, which is nearly a thrid of the way through. There's plenty of time to for the other 442km!

181km

It's been a while since I posted, but the good news is that I have spent the time cycling! As you can see, I've tripled-and-then-some my total of last thursday.

My total for 2 weeks should be 192km, so I'm not very far off, I'll try not to have a day off this week to catch up so that I hit my target for this coming week. My time is coming down as well, I do hit a bit of a brick wall at 10km, but I'm getting through it.

Please sponsor me, if you can. My Just Giving page is just a little to the right!

I'm spreading the word and people are telling me that I look tired so I am telling them that this is the reason.

The other reason is that we are still getting used to having a dog, to the stresses and the communication that needs to happen, to the responsibilities and differences of opinion. Some times an animal will bring people together, other times it will drive them apart.

The other thing that is making me tired is hayfever.

It's a long list of things, but isn't it always that way!

49km

I've cycled 49km so far... today I'm going to do things a little different, it's going to be quite hot today, so when it gets a little colder later on, I'll do my cycle.

So far, to give you the sort of distance I'm doing, I've gone far enough to get from my house to the outskirts of Hatfield Peverel and back or from my house to jct 27 on the A12.

I still haven't been sponsored though, so my idea to get £1 for every mile I cycle is looking a little bit sad, but I'm hoping everyone will understand that I'm doing this for Stop The Traffik.

Since I spent time working in Bristol, Stop the Traffik has been a charity that I have wanted to do something for, it's taken me a while and a bit of a push...but now that I'm doing it, I really want people to give. It is a worth while cause, there's more traffiking of humans going on now than ever before, and it's being done in secret ways and with a lot of deciption. People are told that their sons and daughters or family members will be treated really well, when actaully they get their passports and identity taken away from them. It's really sad and raising money and awareness is one way of helping out.

So the quest continues, today though I have to go to the Red Cross for some first aid training.

justgiving.com/lizfisher400

Two Days in

So I have done 32km of 643km...time to sponsor me.

justgiving.com/LizFisher400

Tomorrow...

is the big day...the start of 40 days of cycling... I'm still recovering after my first attempt so I don't know how well I'm going to do in the first week, but it is half term, so it's a little easier and the weather isn't so hot.

It's when I get busy or miss a day unintentionally that I'll have a problem! I don't do particularly well for catching up with things... but I figure if I do an hour tomorrow at 20km/h, then I'll be alright, not too fast, and do a little over what I'm expected. I know with these things it's all about routine, but it's finding that and fitting it with work that's the problem.

So - sponsor me... please!

How do you introduce yourself?

Just an additional blog, for today, but separate because it's an important question that should have it's own post!

I was taken to a meeting about Kenyan Parish Links last week and found that Kenyan Christians will introduce themselves with their name and then that they are saved. The point was raise that we sometimes (a huge majority of us) introduce ourselves with our name and then months down the line when we have gotten to know people we tell them about our faith... now I know being English and reserved and conservative and all doesn't help with telling people, but actually if you believe it strongly, why not?

We promote our jobs happily to the people that we meet, sometimes we even promote ourselves first, but what about the God who brought about the earth, gave us His only Son so that we could have eternal life and continues to change peoples lives on a daily basis?

ASBO Jesus strikes again

As always browsing the net and catching up on websites I visit occasionally brings up something that pulls on my heart strings... I love Peter Smith's blog at the moment, I have always wanted to own a piece of art, something original and I think ImPossiMaLs are brilliant... when I have enough money for the one I have my eye on I might buy it...

The other website that tugs on my heart and my brain is ASBO Jesus and this particular cartoon (left click and bring it up in a new tab!) for the series that Jon has done. He is a really clever artist and I know that what the cartoon is saying rings true for me. A lot of life is spent making sure lots of people are happy but I know that as a youth worker I am only human and I can't make everyone happy/heal all their hurts etc. It does take a lot to realise that some times, and normally if you don't know who to make happy, you should turn to God and know that He did the ultimate act to make people happy - have a look here to see what that is.

On a brief aside, I'm glad LOST is over, it's about 8 years since it started and once I couldn't watch it on normal TV I lost interest (ha) and gave up, I don't think it's great that Sky are using Amazing Grace to promote the double episode on Friday, but then you can't make everyone happy!

Fun and games

There's a lot going on at the moment... some of it includes cycling... today I tried to cycle 16km (10 miles) in under 40 mins... I didn't quite manage it... 42 mins isn't bad though!

Keep thinking about what you can do to help. Donate here

400 miles in 40 days

Monday is the start of a 400 mile cycle/walk to raise money for Stop the Traffik, a charity that is close to my heart.

Karen and I are doing it together so expect some blogging about it, facebooking, twittering (from Karen). Karen has done this before and although I'm not new to exercise, I'm new to this type of exercise...

So you can be praying for me over the next forty days... it's going to take about 40 hours and I will update my status as I go...

Click here to raise money for Stop the Traffik

(the flash little button I had doesn't work!)

I'm hoping to raise a pound for every mile I do...so if I can get £10 a day for 40 days that would be really good too... give what you can and gift aid it too...

How time flies!

Almost exactly a year ago I was blogging about my first ever experience of a large school trip as a leader. This year, I am not a newbie any more and count myself among the experienced trip goers! This year I spent two days in Canterbury with year seven from Mayflower High School - the local secondary school, who work really hard to behave well when it comes to days out.

And they did, the groups that I looked after were exceptional at listening and taking notes as we were taken around the Cathedral and then as we headed to St Augustine's Abbey, they did really well not to mess around... much better than the french students who pounded and giggled their way up the Trinity Chapel steps on Friday! The students crawled on their knees like the pilgrims would have done to see Thomas Becket's tomb - it's not there any more, but there is a candle in its place.

As always a visit to the Great Cloister which is where this was taken


A picture of the tower above the entrance to the Quire.

I really enjoyed both days and the weekend held some well spent time with the Falcon Afloat team and the young people of Christ Church. I am very tired, but I know that half term is just around the corner and I have a chance to breathe!

Then summer is looking busy, with world cup and summer festivals. Excited about September already and hoping that cycling 400 miles in 40 days will help me to lose a bit of weight and raise a bit of money.

First though a meeting... and a chance to see Chris tomorrow. Happy days!

What are you going to ask God to help you with?

Yesterday I spoke at church, it was the Sunday after Ascension, the time where Jesus goes back to Heaven to be with God. It wasn't my greatest talk, but I ended with the question above.

Mark and Hannah, whom I have known since I was 18, were recently on Premier Radio talking about what they are doing in Billericay, you can listen to them talking about their mission here. They know what and where their mission is, but for some people it's not so obvious.

We had a baptism family and our uniform groups at church yesterday, which means that it is a busy time in church. It's always hard to know how to pitch a talk, but using Up went down well and broke the ice with a lot of people. I wasn't at my best for reasons known only to God... although falling asleep last night and sitting thinking this morning, I started to come up with ideas for talks. I'm going to write them down here, so that I can come back to them in a year, or if I get given this passage again!

Mission:Impossible - talk about the disciples being given the impossible task of going to the ends of the earth, they didn't know that their ministry would take the turn it did.

I did have another one, but it escapes me right now, it came to me as I fell asleep!

So this week there is lots to do, I've got planning to do and a day out, some admin to do and phone calls to make. The summer is coming, so I've got a lot of planning to do for the holiday camps and things that are going on!

Impossible Elephants

After a long day out at the Christian Resources Exhibition, where I found out that there's a new generation of Veggie Tales called What's in the Bible? (English website soon) and that clergy can wear the most beautifully handmade stoles, I decided that I should take some time to relax and after my parents came home from my great uncle's funeral, we headed out for dinner at The Ship. Whilst we were eating some really scrummy food (duck and beetroot salad and rib of pork with a pint of Black Sheep Bitter for me), we had a discussion about elephants...

Elephants in London, to raise awareness for Asian Elephants - http://www.elephantparadelondon.org/- there are 258 parading around the streets of our capital city, and what can the world talk about? Politics!! There are elephants everywhere (download the map and have a look) and the most important thing on people's mind is the government... Anyway, they are bringing some colour and a serious message to a world that is full of serious messages and not a lot else.

To get to my point... I have my own elephant. Peter Smith is the artist who has painted the one that will be arriving on my doorstep soon, why not head on over to his blog to have a look at the amazing purchase I've made! I have seen a lot of Peter Smith's work in art shops across the country and have always wanted my own piece of art. So to combine the two, plus giving into my soft spot for elephants, I'm a happy bunny(!) as I go to bed tonight, and if you are struggling for a birthday present as I turn 26 this summer, know that elephants and pink are a safe bet!

The bad news, a little bit, is that my right ear hurts tonight after a couple of days of a cough and a sniffle, so I'm hoping it won't get any worse, otherwise I'll be on antibiotics before you can say 'Nelly the elephant'!

Time to hit that sack, back into the classroom tomorrow for a humanist view of evil and a veggie tales lunch club!

Moshi Sushi

I always keep an eye on Paul's blog...over at andalongcameme, some times for nostalgia reasons (we went on the same holiday when we were a lot younger) but mostly because he has one of the coolest jobs in the world and a lot of the time I glean some information about life outside of Billericay from him that is local-ish... when I saw 'News Flash: Sushi in Chelmsford' I was intrigued. I've never tried sushi, but I am a fan of cooked Japanese food (Wagamama's RULES!) so I thought that since it was nice a close I'd give it a try...one day. Paul's review of the place wasn't great, but I thought Saturday afternoon wouldn't be too bad...

I agree with Paul, the food is brilliant... I stuck with the cooked stuff... I was on my own so eating raw fish didn't really appeal to me... I wussed out, I think I need Chris to hold my hand while I try it out for the first time. The service was strange though, very well explained how a sushi bar worked, though I kinda understood it anyway (I thought the guy would sit down and tell me what to eat), and I could've sworn I got a pork teriyaki udon when I ordered chicken - even though they don't do pork... if someone had tried it, they would've agreed with me, but no one did. I kept getting asked if I was ok and couldn't get round how much the man running the front of house looked like Hiro from Heroes, yet I spoke to him when I paid and he had a Mancunian accent! They were under staffed, and it showed (not only because I was told).

Anyway, I had a good time and it is reasonably priced, have a look at their website.

Chris is currently at Brands Hatch, watching Tom Chilton and various others race the GP circuit for the BTCC, so I planned to have a quiet day/evening... but only after having a brief conversation with Admiral about why my car insurance had gone above £500 without breakdown cover... apparently the world doesn't work how it should do at the moment, so everything gets put up at renewal time! I have talked them round and saved a lot of money just by asking... lesson learnt, it's always worth asking.

I'm now catching up on the snooker (Go Carter!) and waiting for Dr. Who... What a nice way to spend a bank holiday...