We’ve just got back from our Christmas break. We spent a week with Jane’s Mum and Dad and also her sister and husband who are over from Perth, Australia. We stayed in a quaint cottage down in the lovely village of Caldecott, Rutland. We had snow....so it was a real Christmas experience - along with all the great food and family debates!
We saw the Chronicles of Narnia while we were away....a great family film – I really enjoyed it.
Great to be back....happy new year to everyone!
Friday, December 30, 2005
Thursday, December 22, 2005
King Kong
Saw it last night. A great film...although at 3 hours it seemed a tad too long. I also felt I should have been a little more emotional at the end but I still couldn't bring myself to shed a tear for a 50 foot Gorilla...now a 3 foot Hobbit, well that's a different thing altogether!
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Movies over Christmas
Looking forward to going to see a couple of films over Christmas. First up will be the new King Kong film and then closely followed by the Chronicles of Narnia, the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe.
Early reviews suggest I’m going to enjoy the Kong film the most, but we’ll see...
Early reviews suggest I’m going to enjoy the Kong film the most, but we’ll see...
Monday, December 12, 2005
Your Burning Bush
Here’s a summary of my notes from another great message from Paul Benger in church last night. Paul spoke on having our own burning bush experience a la Moses. Main text: Exodus 3:1-18
Moses spent 40 years in the backside of the desert. He had been groomed to be a Pharaoh. I wonder if Moses thought a lot about missed opportunities? He questioned God on who he was. ‘Who am I?’
One of the questions many people are asking in life, ‘Do I matter to anyone?’
Even with Moses’ low self-esteem, God is still saying – ‘He is the one’. Even though he thought he’d blown it, God stayed with him! Never think you’ve blown it – God will find a way!
Three things from which the world gets it’s WORTH:
Style – Appearance and fashion. Proverbs 31:30 – Beauty does not last! Nothing wrong with wanting to look good, but it’s not where we get our self-worth.
Status – Keeping up with the Jones’ – not the place where we get our value.
Success – God wants us to do well, but again it’s not where we get our significance. Only in God. Knowing him and knowing his forgiveness.
Moses had all 3 when in Egypt – lost them all in a minute! Even so God still had Moses and Moses still had God.
3 things we need to know about the burning bush experience…
1) God calls you
He is not a silent God – he speaks to us. We need to be ready to hear what God is saying about our lives. Be in church the place where we can find out what God is saying!
2) Where you are right now is holy ground
Where God is – his presence. You might not feel it, just like Moses. But He is with us.
3) It’s time to discover who you are and who God is
Moses asked (vs 11) – Who am I?
And (vs 13) – Who shall I tell them sent me?
Realise who God is – Almighty, awesome God who can do all things! ‘I am who I am’
Realise who you are – God is intimately, infinitely involved in our lives!
Know Who You Are (Paul’s Top 10):
I am CREATED
I am CHOSEN
I am PROTECTED
I am COMPLETE
I am VICTORIOUS
I am SAVED
I am FORGIVEN
I am FREE
I am LOVED
I am ACCEPTED
Moses spent 40 years in the backside of the desert. He had been groomed to be a Pharaoh. I wonder if Moses thought a lot about missed opportunities? He questioned God on who he was. ‘Who am I?’
One of the questions many people are asking in life, ‘Do I matter to anyone?’
Even with Moses’ low self-esteem, God is still saying – ‘He is the one’. Even though he thought he’d blown it, God stayed with him! Never think you’ve blown it – God will find a way!
Three things from which the world gets it’s WORTH:
Style – Appearance and fashion. Proverbs 31:30 – Beauty does not last! Nothing wrong with wanting to look good, but it’s not where we get our self-worth.
Status – Keeping up with the Jones’ – not the place where we get our value.
Success – God wants us to do well, but again it’s not where we get our significance. Only in God. Knowing him and knowing his forgiveness.
Moses had all 3 when in Egypt – lost them all in a minute! Even so God still had Moses and Moses still had God.
3 things we need to know about the burning bush experience…
1) God calls you
He is not a silent God – he speaks to us. We need to be ready to hear what God is saying about our lives. Be in church the place where we can find out what God is saying!
2) Where you are right now is holy ground
Where God is – his presence. You might not feel it, just like Moses. But He is with us.
3) It’s time to discover who you are and who God is
Moses asked (vs 11) – Who am I?
And (vs 13) – Who shall I tell them sent me?
Realise who God is – Almighty, awesome God who can do all things! ‘I am who I am’
Realise who you are – God is intimately, infinitely involved in our lives!
Know Who You Are (Paul’s Top 10):
I am CREATED
I am CHOSEN
I am PROTECTED
I am COMPLETE
I am VICTORIOUS
I am SAVED
I am FORGIVEN
I am FREE
I am LOVED
I am ACCEPTED
Saturday, December 10, 2005
ON YOUR MARKS!
Good news on the London Marathon front, after receiving confirmation the other day that my name had not been selected in the ballot - I’ve just received a call from the local Hospice (Ashgate, Chesterfield) and they’ve asked me to run for them!
I’d been a little disappointed in not gaining an automatic place...but after reading the LM magazine and seeing one of the charity pages (Help the Hospices) I decided to try another door, as it were. I was always going to make it an opportunity to raise some money for a great cause and so my goal has still been achieved (in a roundabout way!)
I want to raise as much money as possible for the Hospice. They do a fantastic work of which we’ve had experience of in recent years after the death of my brother-in-law Mark Loveday a few years ago. We spent a number of weeks with him in the local hospice down in Gravesend, Kent. This run will be mainly for him who I know would have been very proud of what I’ve achieved in the last couple of years. The London Marathon will be run on 23rd April...almost 5 years to the day since Mark passed away.
My running mate, Rob, will be running with me. He got an automatic place...and has promised to help raise money with me.
I’m also thinking about setting up another blog to keep track of my training progress, monies raised so far etc. There will also be a link to my ‘Just-Giving’ site where monies can be donated/pledged. So...
WATCH THIS SPACE!
I’d been a little disappointed in not gaining an automatic place...but after reading the LM magazine and seeing one of the charity pages (Help the Hospices) I decided to try another door, as it were. I was always going to make it an opportunity to raise some money for a great cause and so my goal has still been achieved (in a roundabout way!)
I want to raise as much money as possible for the Hospice. They do a fantastic work of which we’ve had experience of in recent years after the death of my brother-in-law Mark Loveday a few years ago. We spent a number of weeks with him in the local hospice down in Gravesend, Kent. This run will be mainly for him who I know would have been very proud of what I’ve achieved in the last couple of years. The London Marathon will be run on 23rd April...almost 5 years to the day since Mark passed away.
My running mate, Rob, will be running with me. He got an automatic place...and has promised to help raise money with me.
I’m also thinking about setting up another blog to keep track of my training progress, monies raised so far etc. There will also be a link to my ‘Just-Giving’ site where monies can be donated/pledged. So...
WATCH THIS SPACE!
Friday, December 09, 2005
Ashes Rematch?
The England coach Eriksson admits he would rather avoid the "English speaking countries" such as Australia and the United States.
"They are desperate to beat England in a big tournament, which is why I don't want to play them," he said. "But there is a wider aspect to Australia, there is a sporting rivalry between the two countries. What I saw during the summer in the cricket was amazing."
Read on
"They are desperate to beat England in a big tournament, which is why I don't want to play them," he said. "But there is a wider aspect to Australia, there is a sporting rivalry between the two countries. What I saw during the summer in the cricket was amazing."
Read on
Monday, December 05, 2005
Blessed! Part II
Last night in church, Paul Benger continued our series and spoke a great message on the Foundations of Blessing.
We looked at the ‘blessed man’ in Psalm 112. He mentioned that the blessed man had no name, that it could be anyone....it could even be YOU!
As we read the bible we cannot escape the fact that God has blessed us, and it’s not because of what I can do for God but because of what He had done! Faith says it’s not what I’ve done – but what God has done.
The foundation of blessing is God himself. God created us for relationship, fellowship and blessing – right from the beginning. God’s position has always been, ‘I want to bless my people’.
Deuteronomy 30:19 - Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, that you and your descendants might live!
We have a choice to make. We need to reposition ourselves. Choose God’s way…
Psalm 112:1 - Fear the Lord
Not being afraid of God but having reverence, respect, putting Him first. Is God first in your life? To fear God takes faith. Are you faith-filled or faith-drained?
God wants to bless you...make God first in your life. Plant the seed that produces faith in your life. We cannot induce faith, we need to sow the seed, search God’s word. Romans 10:17 - Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.
Promises for fearing the Lord…
Psalm 112:2-4 – Their children will be successful everywhere; an entire generation of godly people will be blessed. They themselves will be wealthy, and their good deeds will never be forgotten. When darkness overtakes the godly, light will come bursting in. They are generous, compassionate, and righteous.
Our past does not dictate our future. God’s grace gives us a brand new start!
The blessed man is fearless and confident - trusting in God.
Psalm 112:7-8 - They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the LORD to care for them. They are confident and fearless and can face their foes triumphantly.
We looked at the ‘blessed man’ in Psalm 112. He mentioned that the blessed man had no name, that it could be anyone....it could even be YOU!
As we read the bible we cannot escape the fact that God has blessed us, and it’s not because of what I can do for God but because of what He had done! Faith says it’s not what I’ve done – but what God has done.
The foundation of blessing is God himself. God created us for relationship, fellowship and blessing – right from the beginning. God’s position has always been, ‘I want to bless my people’.
Deuteronomy 30:19 - Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, that you and your descendants might live!
We have a choice to make. We need to reposition ourselves. Choose God’s way…
Psalm 112:1 - Fear the Lord
Not being afraid of God but having reverence, respect, putting Him first. Is God first in your life? To fear God takes faith. Are you faith-filled or faith-drained?
God wants to bless you...make God first in your life. Plant the seed that produces faith in your life. We cannot induce faith, we need to sow the seed, search God’s word. Romans 10:17 - Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.
Promises for fearing the Lord…
Psalm 112:2-4 – Their children will be successful everywhere; an entire generation of godly people will be blessed. They themselves will be wealthy, and their good deeds will never be forgotten. When darkness overtakes the godly, light will come bursting in. They are generous, compassionate, and righteous.
Our past does not dictate our future. God’s grace gives us a brand new start!
The blessed man is fearless and confident - trusting in God.
Psalm 112:7-8 - They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the LORD to care for them. They are confident and fearless and can face their foes triumphantly.
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