Things in places they shouldn't be...

Like food and girlfriends. One housemate moved her girlfriend in 4 weeks ago, and she's still here, and now they've taken over my freezer space too. So I crashed and banged this morning trying to get a piece of chicken out of the freezer, purely because I couldn't get to it. I don't like crashing around at 8 in the morning, but its not exactly my fault. And by the way, she hasn't asked if she could do either of these things. I have to feed two people too, on a regular basis, and fresh stuff is more expensive than frozen food.
ARGH.
Dinner with the Mattos's was good last night. They are awesome people, I realise that I'm a lot like the wife, we have more in common than I always thought.
This morning I got a good surprise (finding a full freezer draw is not a good surprise) - the secretary at the pre-school had brought me an Easter bunny! How nice is that? I also have henna on my hand, which got lots of questions from the kids, its cultural week, 'One World' for uni students, so thats where I got it from before you ask!
Grease just came on the radio, weird!

Volunteering

I'm not talking about next year but today. Once again working for CMS (I did lots 18 months or so ago), on their fundrasing project this year which is about sex slaves in India. Very moving and worrying that people are still being treated with such inhumanity.

I've also been filling in application forms and sending off for them too. Lots of fun and exciting things for me to e doing as well as working!

Isaiah

You know how I hate to brag, but... my Isaiah presentation went really well! Despite no sleep and a different lecturer. No questions at the end, stunned silence. Yeay, I have the knack of lecturing! One other thing to note I got a massive well done from the American student, who did brilliantly herself and nothing from the rest of the english students.

So now I am off to my very first private viewing of an exhibition taking place in Park. Its all good!

What to do?

So now I've spent time looking, there are a number of things I could do and a number of places I could be. Bristol, London, Essex, Kent, doing youth work, doing temp work, sitting on my backside (yeah right) or being a Teaching assistant somewhere.

The world is my oyster - but I don't like seafood that much! Ha ha.

So totally indecisive, with little knowledge of whats out there for me, and struggling with the fact that I know so many people who are looking for job after they graduate and aren't having any luck! It's tough and it's competitive! Yeay, eek! Definitely mixed about this.

Pray for me!

Closed doors

ho hum...maybe I'm not meant to be a teacher anyway. Cheltenham declined my application without interview. Kinda sucky really, and I am chasing up the uni to ask why they haven't given a place to one of their own students.
So I have spent the last day or so looking for a job that will last perhaps a year or more, spoken to a lot of people who feel exactly the same way as me. I've had offers of references from at least three people, Ben even wants to come along to an interview with me!
Above all I have to finish my degree.

God is awesome though, right from the beginning he's been looking after me, and as I turned the page of my journal - mid-rant - I was confronted with the obvious truth,

"I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Our God is an Awesome God. My faith and the love of those around me is all I have to keep me going - plus a degree to finish!

A game of two halves

I went to my first live football match for ages last night.Cheltenham v Wrexham. It finished 2-2, so not bad for £15! I still got really excited during the match and the coach in me still shouts! I take that from my Nan and Mum! I miss it, but I don't miss being so cold I cant feel my feet and hands! It was great fun, even if one of the girls did use the programme as a boy catalogue! The Birmingham didn't do too well but Liverpool scored a massive 7 goals! Billericay on the other hand a through to a cup final at last! I tell you League football is not much different from Non-league, from what I remember, however Premiership is totally different.

I've spent the day reading, Sexual Theology, in preparation for my tutorial tomorrow. I've also been doing something about the Isaiah presentation on Monday that I have to do. 35:1-10, anyone got any ideas?

Birmingham, Malvern, Cardiff, Cheltenham

I have been all over the place this week.

Tuesday and Wednesday I was in Birmingham with Henry. It was lots of fun, the concert was good too, and window shopping at the Bull Ring!

Wednesday evening I was back in Cheltenam surrounded by things to read and plan. By Thursday evening I was in Malvern, in the winning team at the quiz that Henry had written. I promise I had no help from him and I haven't touched the Easter egg that was my prize, though I have fallen in love with the fluffy duck I got!

Friday was spent playing (and beating) Henry at Thunderbirds Monopoly!

Saturday I was stood all afternoon in a dress shop in Cardiff, shortly followed by watching Karen wear dresses that suited her so well I'm worried she'll outshine me on my day. I met all of her friends and (still being on form from the previous day) made utterly stupid suggestions while we watched a movie called Hostage.

Today started off much the same as Saturday, I was in Church taking the mick and being incredibly loud. Lunch was fun and soo filling, I got to say grace, which I am starting to enjoy. We had some good discussions, about hell and people slating evangelicals, plus a bit of creationism. Why do people always think I'm not going to believe in the power and might, as well as existence of God when I'm doing Theology? Karen's colleagues were amazed that I was still in the Church after doing 2 and a half years of Theology!

This afternoon was taken up with the CIA Wedding Fair, I have changed my mind so many times, but now I'm set on ruby and silver, with white! So there you go, start planning your outfits! I also found the bouquet I want! But its on someone elses wedding photos!

It took me an hour and a half to get home, and then I rushed to Fusion only to be picked on, I was told my life was boring and that I needed to sing in front of everyone! It was great - we were talking about Salvation, so two questions for you - Are you saved? And if so, Do you care? Ephesians 2:10 says that we should!

Indian culture

'Just me and Him, that's all I need...we'll be fine'

Apparently what one Indian woman said to Ben, she was living on the street, as do many people. She was talking about Jesus of course. Amazing faith, it shows in the most dire situations but lets people live with such joy, something that is hard to grasp in the world we live in.

It seems almost separate, totally alien. Maybe that's what stops us from totally trusting God, possessions...

But it does happen, it is happening, maybe not on our front door, but in the world.

Amazing

All things bridal!

I took the evening off to sit with Hugh Grant and look at all things bridal and wedding-y. Lots of fun, though I'm not giving away the details! I've got a wonderful little book that tells me all of the things that are involved and how to save a bit of money! Best thing was that the Cheif Bridesmaid has to traditionally do 15 things in the run up to and on the Big Day. Yes Karen, there are a load of things for you to be involved in and to delegate!
Oh and in relpy to your (once again) helpful comments - I'll see what I can do! Do you want to fund me?

Mixed Emotions!

I have been in a state for a week now!! This Canterbury thing is really getting to me, I don't know why!
Also housemates girlfriend is annoying me, she keeps going on about buying me chocolate so I can calm down - only problem is I have given up chololate for lent! Argh! Have also given up crisps and anything extremely fatty! Which means I can't use my tesco vouchers, because they've given me points for butter, jams and spreads and other things I've never brought in my life! Stoopid!
See what I mean? I'm just posting so I can rant!

Theologically advanced!

What do you think of Theology? Is it out-dated, irrelevant? Or topical and useful for every day life? I was reminded today by my lecturer (for Radical Christian Theology) that a true theology is one that takes into account scripture, tradition, culture, reason and experience. So what I hear you say... So it can be done by anyone who has knowledge of each of these. Easy! Not so. A distinct lack of one of these breeds a form of fundamentalism. Theology has to be very careful.

We were discussing the spin-off from the Vatican II that we now call Liberation Theology, now that to me is out-dated. Liberation Theology didn't work, Latin America has not experienced a leveling out of wealth and a poor people revolution, why? I don't know, we discussed the basis of it, not how it effected the world. Yes a good grounding is essential, but the time we spend in lectures can facilitate us to learn from the reading, if we all did the reading (yes I am a geek!). Not re-learn things from previous years. There isn't a good 'modern history' of recent theology - at least not one that is written for dummies!

I did have a good time at Chapel - we had a discussion about some of the more controversial passages in the Bible. John 7:1-10 was the passage we had to discuss. Did Jesus lie? Did he change his mind? Did he have the ability to change his mind? By the way, it doesn't say in the 10 commandments 'thou shall not lie' so boo! to you who got that wrong!
1 Cor 8 was the next passage. Which is just Paul going round in circles - lol, funny man!
There were a few other passages, Matt 19:16-22, do we have to give up everything, or change what our idols are? Remember God is a jealous God! And finally - Propreity in worship - 1 Cor 11, the word for head here is different from further on in the passage, and the only time it is used...so what did Paul mean by it? Well no one is quite sure!! What is the relationship within the Trinity, the are no power differences - God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are equal!

One more thing - why can't we totally depend on God? What stops us?

Dissertation amongst other things....

I had a very, very productive day yesterday. I got the first chapter of my dissertation done! Now you're probably all thinking @an introduction can't be that hard' - well diss's are a funny thing, you don't write them in order. Therefore, I have done the main bulk of research and put it into my own words - all 2,930 of them! 430 words over the count (if divided equally) but never-the-less it is done! Well first draft any way! It will have to be changed, because I know my final paragraph is horrible! Now I just have to read it!

The other things...
I got a letter from Canterbury outlining the reasons for my application being declined , it was totally my fault. I'm not enthusiastic enough about teaching. Though would you be enthusiastic about anything if you'd spent more than 3 hours travelling for your interview? Kinda sealed NOT going to Lincoln for me really! So now I have to go through an interview here and hope my wonderful personality stands out in an interview!

I also got an email from the head of the Student Associate Scheme - it looks like I'm going to be moved if I don't get anything back from St Benedicts, which I really don't want. I know some of the students there and I've met with the head of RE who was more than keen to take me on!

Maybe teaching isn't for me? What else can I do though?

Working!!

Finally after a week with a horrible cold I'm back to my normal procrastinating and trying to work. I will get it done! Promise. If I haven't finished this chapter by the end of the week, I will start to worry, although, I'm 2000 words ahead of some people!

Being on the radio!

Ha ha! I'm slowly achieveing world fame! Well, no-one argued with me and apparently I id a good job. I don't know if there will be a sound clip of the show but it was good fun, and I'd do it again if I was asked!
I was really nervous and felt like I was not making any sense but it was good!

Ugandan elections

Guess what! I got nervous for no reaso, I wasn't on the radio, but the nice man did phone me and tell me that they wouldn't be able to talk to me! He wished me good luck!
I wanted to be on the radio though!! What do I do now?
I guess I have to go back to teaching RE!!

A debut

I'm going to be on the radio tonight! On BBC World Service, talking about RE in schools. I posted my views (being ill I have some time to surf!) on the BBC website and received a call from a very nice gentleman who asked me about what I'd written! I'm so excited!!

Have a look at what I've said!

Indecisive!

I've got a cold, I'm also way behind on what I wanted to do this week and I won't be going out on thursday! One of my housemates has gone out to get me som drugs and food, so I can eat and not die! I feel awful but I have managed to sit myself up to check my email amd blog! I'm not looking forward to the next few days, I know its going to get worse before it gets better, but I really don't want to spend all of my time in bed!

Some good news, well something I'm indifferent about. I had a phone call from Lincoln saying the interview date could be earlier. I'm still not sure if I even want to go that far. I'm meeting the admin lady at uni tomoro so I can get an idea of the amount of places there are here before I go travelling cross country!!

Bridal Shower...or baby shower?

No I'm not pregnant, but I bet you wondered, didn't you? No happier nws than that, the guy who is overseeing our wedding has just had a baby, well his wife did. We saw him at the Bridal show we went to, spent half the afternoon there, gathering ideas, and formulating plans for table decorations, favors, bridesmaids dresses and cakes! All wonderful things and great to get to know some of the faces I might be dealing with over the next year and a half! I'm keeping it all under my tiara, so that the day for most people will be a lot of fun!!

We were discussing Jesus the Son in Fusion this evenin as part of our trinity series. It's very hard to get anything out of a youth group if they're lectured (or preached, if you prefer) to, and that's how I understand the difference between youth workers and vicars. Vicars are very good at preaching, youth workers are very good at asking questions, both get responses, in different ways. Before you ask, I have no idea which I'm better at!

I'm still in two minds about lincoln.

Doing things for others

There is only so much you can do for someone before they start to over-step the mark. Like posing as them so they can do a stupid amount of modules for their final semester. If you haven't read my blog before you won't have the foggiest idea who I'm on about, if you have and you still don't know, shame on you! I've gone out of my way, so if she starts complaining about work load I will have to slap her.

And no, it's not the universities fault, its the stubborness of the person taking the extra modules.

Though having said that, is it my own fault for letting the person over step the mark? Sometimes I'm just not impressed with my own niceness!

Some forwards are too good to pass up!!

This is me all over!!! Very scary and incredibly funny!

How you know you experienced the 90's:
1) 10p Mr Frosty Ice Pops on long summer days!
2) Gordon the Gopher!
3) You could do or tried to do the Prodigy step. 'You're no good 4 me....'
4) You owned or longed for an Adidas three stripe tracksuit
5) You owned a compilation tape with TOP TUNES such as " Mr Vain", "What is love " and " Rhythm is a dancer " and 'How Bizarre, How Bizarre "
6) Girls thought Blue Mascara was cool!
7) Girls actually fancied Garry Barlow more than Robbie Williams
8) The Racoons! (nuff said)
9) You owned a pair of Nike Air Max, and wore them to death
10) Mr Motivator (What ever happened to him?)
11) Running on the spot dancing! (WAYHEY THE RUNNING MAN... )
12) You wore leggings/cycling shorts with long t-shirts
13) You owned a Bennetton, NafNaf, sweater shop jumper or waistcoat (or bag)
14) Girls owned scrunchies in an array of colours and tacky headbands with their names written on in thick glitter
15) You bought Smash Hits for the song lyrics and the immense amount of stickers that you would stick everywhere!
17) You had a pen pal
18) You could only watch the Simpson's on sky
19) On a Saturday evening you watched Catchphrase, Gladiators, Generation Game, Noels House Party and then Casualty
20) You taped the Pepsi Chartshow on radio one and tired in vain to pause the tape before the annoying guy talked and ruined the whole thing.
21) Cans of Coke were 25p
22) 10p Space Raiders Crisps
23) A grey Fruit of the Loom jumper was a must have
24) Sharkie & George were the crimebusters of the sea
25) Puffa jackets
26) You used the line " it's a free country " every day
27) The Sky Sports Blimp!
28) Impulse body spray for girls
29) Hooch Alcoholic Lemonade (where's it gone?!)
30) 'Don't forget your toothbrush', 'TFI' and Big Breakfast with Chris Evans
31) You had at least one troll
32) You know the dance to Macarena and Saturday Night. You also tried to scat like Scatman John! Bi bat ba ba da bo...
33) You watched Baywatch and longed for the day that Eddie & Sharni got together!
34) You watched Byker Grove 'ha ha ha whatcha laughin at!' (the Theme song ending), and saw PJ get shot in the eye with a paintball!
35) PJ and Duncan not Ant and Dec! Dodgy Pop Not Dodgy Presenting!
36) Shellsuits & bumbags!
37) You longed to live in Beverley Hills 90210
38) Home and Away was a prime time ITV programme watched by millions
39) You owned a Spice Girls album
40) Fruit salads and black jacks!
41) Strike it lucky on a sunday night with Michael Barrymore when he was straight & married
42) Chain letters
43) You had fake ID
44) You remember Todd Landers in Neighbours
45) You religiously watched Saved by the Bell on a Saturday morning!
46) You more than likely lost/nearly lost a wobbly tooth on a wham bar!!
47) CK one (probably the fake one from the market)
48) Going Live, then Live and Kicking was the place to be on a Saturday Morning - you know you remember the number 0181 811 8181
49) You knew every word to the theme tune from Fresh Prince of Bel Air
50) You collected Premier League Stickers and did swops at playtime
51) Girls wore crappy lipstick such as - coffee shimmer, heather shimmer and birthday suit!
52) You wore kickers and wallaby's with the tags hanging from them
53) You thought saying - " I know you are, but what am I " to every cuss that that came your way!
54) " love got the world in motion " with the John Barnes Rap
55) when you used to run away from some thing and shout ' leg iiiiiitt'