McGrath and Warne

How to play these two? 1097 test wickets between them.

I think something slipped into their meals tonight might do the trick!

Blog Birthday

One year old today!

Vaughan Again

Just one of the headlines I’d love to see over the coming weekend.

He’s gone from being rated number one in the world to number 28. His test average has dropped from 50.98 before he was captain to just 36.55.



BBC link

Dead or Alive? Part 3

Paul Benger finished off our Dead or Alive series last night in church. It’s been a great three weeks.

Ephesians 2:11-22

Paul deals with 3 issues concerning the Ephesians church (Vs 11-12)

They still thought they were ‘outsiders’
Thinking they were not good enough. But now all one in Christ.

The Jewish pride
Galatians 3:28 – in Christ there is neither Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female – you are all one in Christ!

The concept of ‘circumcision’
Not a human activity but a Holy Spirit activity at work in our lives – making us more like Christ.

This is what Christ has done, a fundamental change has taken place to our condition:
(Vs 13) We now belong to God – brought near, no longer far away.
(V3 14) Jesus has broken down the wall of hostility – made us one, not only with God but with other people. Unity – one in Christ.
(Vs 15) Jewish law has ended – a new way of being right with God, through Christ and all he has done.
(Vs 19) The new temple has been constructed – a place where God dwells, in the hearts of people. The church is people. Flourishing when planted in the House of God.

Finally...
(Vs 12) The church is a place of HOPE. Hope is the true spirit of the Christian. To have faith we need hope. Hebrews 11:1 - What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see

Psalm 42:11 - Why am I discouraged? Why so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again - my Saviour and my God!
Proverbs 17:22 - A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person's strength.
Proverbs 18:14 - The human spirit can endure a sick body, but who can bear it if the spirit is crushed?

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Went to see this yesterday with the kids. Great fun!

Much more in keeping with the book. I think they just about got the Oompa Loompas right this time. Not easy to interpret Roald Dahl’s vision of the little singing dancing men.

Johnny Depp is a very creepy Willy Wonka...wonder who they based him on?!

Deferred Success

A retired teacher will call on the Professional Association of Teacher’s annual gathering in Buxton, Derbyshire next week, to delete the word 'fail' from the educational vocabulary to be replaced with the concept of 'deferred success'.

She argues that repeated failure, such as in exams, can damage pupils' interest in learning.

Political correctness gone mad? (The Art of Failure)

So what of England’s ‘deferred success’ against the Aussies?

Dead or Alive? Part 2

Paul Benger carried on last night in church with our Dead or Alive series taken from Ephesians chapter 2. A great message!

Ephesians 2:4-10

2 great phrases from these verses - ‘But God’ and ‘God’s Masterpiece’

BUT GOD
Paul writes this is where we were - dead in our sins! BUT GOD, rich in mercy and loved us so much, that even while we were dead, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. There’s a big BUT in all of us!

Three things about this truth:

God initiates
We were dead, but God started the process of bringing about change. By sending his Son.

God invests
God was willing to invest all that He had to save the world. Not a little of his love, his grace – but God being rich in mercy and love…invested liberally!

God imagines
God is a visionary. He sees our world differently to how we see it. We need to see what he sees, imagine what he imagines.

GOD’S MASTERPIECE
(Vs 10) For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

God is an artist, a potter at work...we are his masterpiece (workmanship). He’s not finished with us yet!

Three things about this truth:

Don’t get religion get Jesus
Religion changes nothing. Only Jesus in our lives can do this.

We were created to do good things
Not works. Bearing good fruit when we are connected to Jesus – the Vine.

God has planned good things for your life
Seated us in heavenly places (vs 6). He is the ‘lifter of our heads’. We may have failed in the past but God doesn’t see us as ‘failures’.

First Test - A Bridge too Far

There have been improvements since the last Ashes but there is still a gulf between the two sides.

Lessons Learnt

1. Must do better in the field
2. Batsmen must get in and stay in

"We didn't bat well enough and didn't catch well enough" Michael Vaughn

Positives

1. Pietersen
2. We can bowl out Australia...twice
3. Pietersen

On to Edgbaston and hopefully a more competitive performance!

Bouncers or Beamers Brett?

Brett Lee plans to test England's batsmen with short-pitched bowling and has predicted "fireworks" in the first Ashes Test at Lord's.

"It's Test match cricket and the reason why is because it's a test, a test of character, a test of commitment and a test of courage." Brett Lee

Let’s hope it’s the bouncers and not the beamers that our boys will have to contend with...eh Brett?

Dead or Alive?

Last night in church Paul Benger began a series from Ephesians Chapter 2. He opened with a great message and a number of people responded to God’s word. Great stuff! Thanks Paul.

The fact that through Jesus Christ we have been transferred from a dead world into a living world.

There are 7 things from the first 3 verses of Ephesians 2 that we have to die to...

We have to die to a dead world and connect to a living world (vs 1)
We have to die to a life of missing the mark and connect to a life of hitting the mark (vs 1)
We have to die to former things and connect to present and future things (vs 2)
We have to die to Satan and connect to God (vs 2)
We have to die to a disobedient life and connect to a life of obedience to God (vs 2)
We have to die to a sinful life and connect to a spirit-filled life (vs 3)
We have to die to the concept of an angry God and connect to a loving Father (vs 3)

Winning Team?

Michael Vaughn (Captain)

Marcus Trescothick

Andrew Strauss

Ian Bell

Kevin Pietersen

Andrew Flintoff

Geraint Jones

Ashley Giles

Matthew Hoggard

Simon Jones

Steve Harmison

Chris Tremlett

Just 3 days to go!

Pietersen Gets the Nod

Kevin Pietersen has been chosen ahead of Graham Thorpe for next weeks Ashes Test opener at Lords.

Thorpe had been suffering with injury worries and a dip in form.

I think I agree with the selection...just!

Running the Gauntlet

x 2
As all you runners will appreciate one of the dangers of running is coming across those dogs out for their early morning stroll.

Last Sunday was a lovely hot summer’s day and me and my running partner were out in the Derbyshire countryside when we suddenly came upon two rottweilers (that’s two!) - absent owner (I guess). They were near the road where we were running, just coming out of a wooded area.

They begin barking in an aggressive manner and one of them came for me. Fortunately as soon as he came to the edge of the road, where I was running, he stopped. Trained not to stray onto the road perhaps? Or attack unsuspecting runners maybe?

Lucky escape or the grace of God? Anyway it’s a good job I'd bought those extra running shorts recently!

Aussies in Gear

Looking a little ominous eh?....Australia claimed the third and deciding NatWest Challenge match. Which included an awesome century from Gilchrist.

Still test matches are a whole different ball game. Come on England!

Legend or Loser?

Interesting article on the BBC sports pages today. How will history judge Sir Clive Woodward?

Having read his book ‘Winning’ I loved much of what he had done with the England set-up.

Was his supposed failure with the Lions tour a matter of him simply trying to apply too many of his ideas into too short a time frame?

And now he’s moving onto his true love - football!

Team Works

Sharing this Sunday in church...

‘It was genuinely a team effort and Seb Coe and the team were just awesome throughout. For me it was easy coming in with the way that Seb and his team worked. They were focused and clever in every single aspect. It really shows what you can achieve if you work together.’ - Tony Blair

(1 Corinthians 12:12-31) - Many Parts....One Body

Paul deals with 4 areas of attention when it comes to Team, and the Body functioning effectively.

Some feel Inferior
(15) If the foot should say, Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body, it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. (16) And if the ear should say, Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body, it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. (17) If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? (18) But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.

Some feel Superior
(19) If they were all one part, where would the body be? (20) As it is, there are many parts, but one body. (21) The eye cannot say to the hand, I don't need you! And the head cannot say to the feet, I don't need you!

Some feel Inconspicuous
(22) On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, (23) and the parts that we think are less honourable we treat with special honour (24) while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it.

ALL are Important
(25) so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. (26) If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honoured, every part rejoices with it. (27) Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

Let’s make ‘Team’ work!

London 2005

You hoped and prayed it would never happen. Our hopes and prayers are now with victims and their families - for those in mourning today, for those fighting for their lives and for those who are now on the long road to recovery.

Miracles in the midst of tragedy (Taken from Adrian Warnock’s blog)

'Two remarkable coincidences which seem likely to have contributed to the survival of victims because these circumstances facilitated medical care getting to the victims quicker: Firstly, the bomb on a bus went off outside the headquarters of the British Medical Association where doctors were attending meetings and were able to attend victims immediately. Secondly, a meeting of trauma doctors just happened to be occurring at the Royal London Hospital which meant that 18 top trauma doctors could quickly be airlifted to the scenes of these disasters to treat patients who remained trapped'

War of the Worlds

Saw War of the Worlds yesterday. Some of the things that struck me:

• No heroes
• A real sense of hopelessness
• Genuine terror

This is no feel-good movie. I was gripped with fear a number times.

It’s one of those films that you think you’ve enjoyed it but you’re not quite sure why. Even the effects, which were outstanding, do not seem to be enough of a reason for it being an enjoyable film. Not sure...perhaps I’ll have to see it again.

London 2012

Well done London!

No one dared believe this could actually happen....but it has! I'm really hoping this will melt away the cynicism that often grips this country.

God He Reigns

The new Hillsong album is just out. I’ve ordered a copy along with the music book in CD format, which I look forward to with interest.

I notice the Hillsong Conference starts today....would have loved to have been there again! Maybe one day!

Still there's always Hillsong London in September 2006!

Rome wasn't Built in a Day

Spare a thought for my good friends Paul and Jennie Benger (typo - Jeannie). Read on.

They deserve better....I do hope they get there one day!

Fiery Ashes Predicted

Things are hotting up between England and Australia.

During yesterdays one-dayer (rained off) in the sixth over of Australia’s innings, Simon Jones incensed Hayden by hurling a ball back at him in an attempt to throw down the wicket.
The ball landed well short of the stumps and bounced up to strike Hayden a stinging blow on the shoulder.

Hayden spun around and glared at Jones, mouthing his displeasure. Jones apologised, but Collingwood, who had sent Hayden packing in an earlier game with an astonishing overhead catch, ran in from point and brushed shoulders with the strongly-built Queenslander, giving him an earful at the same time.

Ponting ran down from the non-striker's end and pulled Hayden out by the hand to settle things.

"We play it pretty tough and so do they, so I wouldn't say it will be the last time that England and Australia, in the middle, have a few words," Michael Vaughan

"It was just something that happened in the heat of battle" Ricky Ponting

The Winning Team

A message from Paul Benger spoken last night in church - inspired by the book ‘Winning’ by Clive Woodward and of course the Bible!

We are a winning TEAM!

‘Teamwork makes the Dreamwork’ John Maxwell

We cannot do it on our own. The friends of the paralytic man were a winning team – he would never have got to Jesus without teamwork!

Church is not for spectators but participators...were in it together.

5 things about a winning team:

Winning teams have...

A shared mental model
What does winning look like? Are we seeing the same thing as a church? We all need to see it, a shared vision...so that we don’t drop the ball!

A shared leadership responsibility
We’re all leaders...shared responsibility. Initiative in all of us. Not just for senior leaders. Enthusiasm and participation. Energisers not energy sappers.

A shared commitment to overcome setbacks
Getting back into the arena after a defeat. Churches have setbacks - we all have setbacks. Leaving the past behind and pressing on towards the goal (Apostle Paul) – get back into the arena.

A shared ownership of winning habits
We need to find winning habits. Good habits. Life-giving, full of energy.

A shared openness to thinking differently
Romans 12:2 – be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Thinking differently is part of a winning team. An openness to God for change, thinking in the DETAIL as well.

Q’s
What does winning look like for you as a Christian and as a Church?
What does shared leadership responsibility mean to you?
Name some winning habits.

Australia Hit Back

Australia 266-5
England 209-9

Marcus Trescothick wins the toss and puts Australia into bat - what’s all that about? I'm sure he's done this before when he's stepped in for Vaughn. Does he like the glory of batting second?

"Nobody in their right mind chooses to bat in the evening under lights" Jonathan Agnew

Still shouldn’t take anything away from the Aussies.

"The guys have really stuck together after Sunday's loss and we hope to keep on improving from now on" Ricky Ponting

Monkey Art

Encouragement for all you budding artists out there....

Yesterday three abstract paintings by Congo the Chimpanzee sold at auction for more than £12,000.

Acceptable

Great message last night in church from Mark Wilkins on our ‘acceptability’ to God because of Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 2:1-22

Vs 13, "But now you belong to Christ Jesus. Though you once were far away from God, now you have been brought near to him because of the blood of Christ."

God’s masterpiece…

Vs 10, "For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."

No longer strangers, outsiders…

Vs 19, "So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God's holy people. You are members of God's family."

Pietersen and Harmison Shine

Australia 252 for 9 (50 overs)
England 253 for 7 (47.3 overs)

Highlights….

Steve Harmison 5 for 33
Kevin Pietersen struck four superb sixes in a match-winning 91 not out.

"We competed a lot better today. We were in a good position in the game with 10 or 12 overs to go but fell over at the end," Ricky Ponting

This was an improved effort from Australia, but again they were no match for England, who recorded a fourth straight win over them in all competitions.

Eh?!?

Bangladesh (250-5) beat Australia (249-5)

This result is a little bewildering isn't it? Are the Aussies playing some kind of phsycological game with us? Who knows.

I trust there were no dodgy bets placed before the game.

They play England tomorrow......mmmmm?!

Ponting not a Happy Chap

Australia's captain, Ricky Ponting, admitted he was "angry" after his side's failure to protect a massive total of 342 against Somerset at Taunton. Read on.

Ponting refused to blame a lack of cricket for his team's poor showing.

"Your brain isn't rusty - you still know what is right and what is wrong" Ricky Ponting

Thatcherism

I wonder how much influence she still has on the Conservative Party? (Read)

The Tories are still trying to move on from her legacy. It seems they continue to struggle in finding their true identity again...showing that the leadership baton can be a difficult thing to hand on when it has been so strong and influential.

So how much influence does she still have? A negative one perhaps as far as the Tories are concerned but maybe not for Tony Blair. He seems the one to have benefited the most from her legacy and dare I say carrying it on in some way.

Interesting Fact

England have now won their last 3 encounters with Australia in all forms of the game. The last Test match, the last one-day match and now the latest Twenty20 match.

Not bad eh?!

One for the album....

And speaking of winning....

Sportsflash....England have just handed Australia a Twenty20 thrashing as they raced to a 100-run win at the Rose Bowl to start the Ashes summer in the best way!

Alright it's only a Twenty20 but what a start to the summer...and 'momentum' is a wonderful thing.

Come on England!

Developing a Winning Culture

Notes taken from a great message from Paul Benger at Church yesterday...we’ll be discussing them tomorrow night in our Connect Group.

Ephesians 4:17-32

We are here to win!

3 things to have in place when developing that Winning Culture....

a) Thinking Correctly

Romans 12:2 – transforming your mind, changing your thinking. About the way you think about yourself, about the church etc.

b) Plan – get organised!

Proverbs 16:9 – We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.

Don’t just wait and see what happens…what is our plan?

c) Having a Spirit of Excellence

Luke 14:28-30 – (28) "But don't begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first getting estimates and then checking to see if there is enough money to pay the bills? (29) Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of funds. And then how everyone would laugh at you! (30) They would say, `There's the person who started that building and ran out of money before it was finished!'

Plan to be the best…plan to build the very best! It’s not about our skills but about our attitude, our spirit.

Questions to consider:
How does a ‘winner’ think?
Planning for excellence…what does that look like?

Discovery Day

Spent a great time this morning as a church with Martin Houghton-Brown from Leeds City Life Church and our very own Paul Benger, Chesterfield Christian Life Church.

Under the heading ‘Discovery Day’ we looked at such things as living a life of faith, and the work of the Holy Spirit.

Some key points for me were…

On faith…

‘Faith’ is counter-culture to the western world. It is not pride to recognise who you really are in Christ.

It is a matter of fact that through Jesus, what He has done, we can reign in life!

Romans 5:1-5 – (1) Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. (2) Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of highest privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory. (3) We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us--they help us learn to endure. (4) And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation. (5) And this expectation will not disappoint us. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

Exercise your faith and access your authority.

On the Holy Spirit…

Matthew 16:13-20 – (13) When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"
(14) "Well," they replied, "some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets."
(15) Then he asked them, "Who do you say I am?"
(16) Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God."
(17) Jesus replied, "You are blessed, Simon son of John,[b] because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. (18) Now I say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. (19) And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you lock on earth will be locked in heaven, and whatever you open on earth will be opened in heaven." (20) Then he sternly warned them not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

The Holy Spirit brings Revelation. When the ‘penny drops’...it’s our domain as Christians and not just a select few.
The Holy Spirit brings Creativity. Genesis 1:2 – the Holy Spirit hovered over the face of the earth...creative agenda! Churches have their creativity stifled when they try to keep out the work of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit in us brings life...flowing out of us into our world.

What a fantastic time we had and God definitely moved!

Australia Win

Their tour began with a comfortable Twenty20 win against the PCA Masters - Matthew Hayden top scoring with 79 from 46 balls.

"There is nothing I like more in my life than to hit a cricket ball" - Matthew Hayden

Let’s see how England fairs against them next Monday in another Twenty20.

England 'tougher' than Australia

England have found an ally as the battle for the Ashes with Australia hots up - in the form of Bangladesh captain Habibul Bashar.

Bashar claims England have proved tougher opponents than Australia after losing both Tests by an innings. "We found it a bit harder here. When we played in Australia we managed to play better than we did here," he said. Only five England players got to bat in the two Tests while Australia lost 11 wickets in their two wins. Bangladesh batted the whole day in the Cairns Test and it took Australia until the fourth day to clinch the win.

I am really looking forward to the Australian tour this summer…expectations are high! I think it would be a good idea keep posting regular updates on how the tour is progressing.

Just 44 days until the first Test!

Pacman

Pacman comes to life! Whatever will they think of next?!

"These games symbolize the dawn of an era where real and virtual interactive experience will form part of the routine of our daily lives, allowing users to indulge in the seamless links across different domains be it for entertainment or socialising" Adrian David Cheok, Mixed Reality Lab

Lightsabre - Practical Usage No 3

Great at kids parties....

....serving the cake

Lightsabre - Practical Usage No 2

For us coffee lovers.....

.....re-heating coffee!

Lightsabre - Practical Usage No 1

For the gardener.....

.....hedge trimming

World's Finest Coffee

I love to make coffee…the proper stuff. Some friends have just given me some great coffee (Dark Sumatra) from a local supplier. Their web-link suggests it may be the best coffee in the world…probably. Without doubt it is a fine coffee.

Come on You Reds!

What a match....never doubted them for a second!

Steps to Growth

Taken from Paul Benger’s message in church last night. 4 Levels of Growth that help us to build flourishing lives and flourishing churches. 4 sequential steps:

1 Timothy 6:17-19: (17) Tell those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which will soon be gone. But their trust should be in the living God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. (18) Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and should give generously to those in need, always being ready to share with others whatever God has given them. (19) By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may take hold of real life.

Level 1 – Enjoyment
God has given us all we need...we should enjoy being Christians! Enjoying life and God. The Joy of the Lord is our strength.

Level 2 – Servanthood
Be rich in good works. ‘As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord’. Be willing, volunteers in the House of God.

Level 3 – Giving
Be ready to give, positioned to give. (Not just about money). Having an attitude of generosity.

Level 4 – Carrying the Load
The apex of Christian life. Willingness to share the load. Standing together. In the home, church, relationships. A selfless attitude.

Great stuff!

In a galaxy far, far away.....

Saw Star Wars Episode III yesterday. Loved it!

The Buddhist themes certainly came through strong this time....along with quite a lot of references to what’s been happening in the political world recently re America/Britain/EU and the war in Iraq.

Here’s a quote that made me sit up - speaking of the Dark Lord, Obi-Wan utters the words, ‘Only a Sith thinks in absolutes’. Implying what?!

You know you're getting old...

It was by birthday this week…I’ve reached the grand old age of 37! I’m not quite there yet BUT you know you're getting old when...

You feel like it's the "morning after", but you didn't go anywhere the night before.
You sit in a rocking chair but can't get it going.
You bend over to tie your shoes and ask yourself, "Is there anything else I need to do while I'm down here?"
You sit down to the breakfast table, and the snap, crackle, pop you hear isn't your breakfast cereal.
People call at 9:00 p.m. and ask, "Did I wake you?"
You're proud of your lawn mower.
You have a party and the neighbours don't even realise it.
You finally know all the answers, but no one asks you the questions!
People are constantly putting a mirror under your nose while you nap to see if you're breathing.
You finally find something you've been looking for, for ages but can't remember why you wanted it.
You get to work before you discover you forgot to get dressed.
Tightening your belt becomes uncomfortable under your armpits.
You can't finish a conversation, because you don't remember what you were talking about.
Most of your sentences begin with, "When I was your age..."
You had to get rid of your dog he kept trying to drag you to the garden to bury you.
Everything hurts, and what doesn't hurt, doesn't work.

A Big Fat Greek Wedding

We’re at a wedding today and really looking forward to it. A work colleague is marrying her Greek/Cypriot partner so it’s going to be a Greek wedding and a whole new experience for us. The service is being held at a Greek Orthodox Church and will be all spoken in Greek.

Here’s to Karen and Andy!

Star Wars III - Revenge of the Sith

Here are some of the first reactions from the critics. Sounds promising. The question is did Chris Tookey of the Daily Mail see a different film? Or maybe the question should be is he not on Lucas’s payroll? That was a bit low...sorry.

Mysteries of the Universe

Why do we press harder on a remote control when we know the batteries are flat?

Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet?

Why doesn't glue stick to the bottle?

Why doesn't Tarzan have a beard?

Why does Superman stop bullets with his chest, but ducks when you throw a revolver at him?

Why do Kamikaze pilots wear helmets?

Whose idea was it to put an "S" in the word "lisp"?

What is the speed of darkness?

If you send someone 'Styrofoam', how do you pack it?

If the temperature is zero outside today and it's going to be twice as cold tomorrow, how cold will it be?

Why does a round pizza come in a square box?

How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on bigger suitcases?

Why is it that people say they "slept like a baby" when babies wake up about every couple hours?

If a deaf person has to go to court, is it still called a hearing?

Why do people pay to go up tall buildings and then put money in binoculars to look at things on the ground?

Happy Retirement Dad

My Dad’s early retirement began today. It was his last day at work yesterday...and he’s only 57! (Sorry Dad)

He got a card from us with a few verses from Joshua 14:9-11 speaking about Caleb:

(9) So on that day Moses swore to me, 'The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance and that of your children forever, because you have followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly.' (10) "Now then, just as the LORD promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the desert. So here I am today, eighty-five years old! (11) I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I'm just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then.

Life begins at 85! No retirement yet Dad...well not as far as God is concerned anyway!

We’re out tonight for a slap-up Indian meal.

Living Stones

A new nightclub in town has recently opened. It is called ‘Livingstones’.

This got me thinking about the true Living Stone or living stones. I will be sharing these thoughts this Sunday in church.

Reading: 1 Peter 2:4-10

What are we building? How are we building? In respect of the building there are two important things we need to consider - Who Jesus is? Who we are?

Who is Jesus?

Peter uses one key word to describe who Jesus is. He is the stone upon which the whole church is built. You can see that in four different places in our text:

In verse 4 - he is the ‘the living Stone’
In verse 6 - he is ‘the cornerstone’ (Basis, base, foundation, fundament, groundwork/A stone in the exterior of a large and important building; usually carved with a date and laid with appropriate ceremonies)
In verse 7 - he is ‘the capstone’ (A final touch; a crowning achievement; a culmination
A stone that forms the top of wall or building)
In verse 8 - he is the "stone that causes men to stumble."

Who are we?

In verse 4 - we are the people who come to Christ by faith.
In verse 5 - we are also living stones being built into a spiritual house/a holy priesthood.
In verse 6 - we are the ones who will never be put to shame.
In verse 7 - we are the ones to whom Jesus is precious.
In verse 9 - we are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God.
In verse 10 - we are now the people of God who have received his great mercy. (Once you were not…now you are!)

We are not meant to be loan bricks! A brick is not a house on its own. Church is vital for our growth.

We’re doing life/church together…bricks/living stones joined together.

We belong to Christ – hewn from the Living Stone – being built into something so wonderful and precious to God.

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Lessons from Sir Alan

Sadly The Apprentice draws to a conclusion tonight. Here are some lessons from the man himself, Sir Alan Sugar....

1. Respect authority

KEY LESSON: Authority must be respected. If individuals trying to shine in a competitive situation do so at the expense of their colleagues they will fail.

2. Listen to your colleagues

KEY LESSON: "If a room full of people tell me I'm wrong then even I will listen to them," Sir Alan said.

3. Be flexible

KEY LESSON: When you're out in the field, keep an open mind, learn from others and take action.

4. Know your market

KEY LESSON: Knowing your market gives you the upper hand.

5. Control your costs

KEY LESSON: Margin is king and the place to check for potential profit is not in the day's takings but in the amount of wasted food.

6. Don’t pretend

KEY LESSON: As a candidate, never try to be someone you are not - you may well get caught out.


Read more

Lost for Words with All to Say

Paul Benger brought an impromptu message last night in church as his wife, Jeannie, who was due to speak, was literally lost for words...sadly she’d lost her voice!

Paul was able to continue from where he’d left off, sharing from Ephesians chapter 1.

(6) So we praise God for the wonderful kindness he has poured out on us because we belong to his dearly loved Son. (7) He is so rich in kindness that he purchased our freedom through the blood of his Son, and our sins are forgiven. (8) He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. (9) God's secret plan has now been revealed to us; it is a plan centred on Christ, designed long ago according to his good pleasure. (10) And this is his plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ--everything in heaven and on earth. (11) Furthermore, because of Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us from the beginning, and all things happen just as he decided long ago. (12) God's purpose was that we who were the first to trust in Christ should praise our glorious God. (13) And now you also have heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. (14) The Spirit is God's guarantee that he will give us everything he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. This is just one more reason for us to praise our glorious God.

It was a great message of hope for those who’d experience rejection in the past that we have been accepted in Christ.

Accepted because of WHO WE ARE and not because of WHAT WE DO.

God, our Father, is our BIGGEST FAN! Just like the Dad’s at the football match cheering on their kids.

He then went to speak of the mysteries of the Gospel that have been revealed to us through Jesus Christ.

On thing that really stood out for me…

Salvation is available to ALL. No one is outside of God’s grace and love. Not one! The ‘reservoir of Heaven’ is always full.

Dalek

Tonight sees the return of the Dalek to our TV screens bringing back fond memories. I’ve been building up the anticipation with the kids all week. Jacob, the youngest, woke up with nervous excitement this morning - he can’t stop talking about it.

‘It’s Dr Who day’ he said as he ran into the living room. He then proceeded to tell me, ‘it’s ok Dad, the Dalek is just a metal robot’. Of course I put him right on this one, that there is in fact an alien inside. Not sure he appreciated this.

I’ve heard some people say they don’t think too much of this new Dr Who series. I disagree. I think it’s a lot of fun with some well written scripts/story lines. The highlight of course is being able to all sit down and enjoy it together as a family…bringing back those great memories again.

'Look to You' is Here

The Hillsong United CD 'Look to You' has arrived. What an excellent recording with loads of quality worship songs packed with high energy and genuine devotion. I will be teaching many of these songs in the coming weeks in church. Here are the first 4...

Salvation is Here
Tell the World
Look to You
All I Need is You

I love it!

And then there were two...

We're now down to the last 2 in this riveting reality TV show (The Apprentice), and what a surprise with the 2 chosen finalists - or was it?

James and Paul (pictured) probably seemed the most capable of the 4 last night, but a question mark was put on whether they were 'apprentice' material (i.e. too much of the finished article)

Whereas Tim and Saira (the chosen ones) needed some time and investment from Alan Sugar and his organisation. (And who would have thought Saira would have made the final a few weeks ago!?)

So maybe the right 2 were chosen in the end?

Identity Crisis?

On Sunday night Paul Benger completed his series of messages taken from Ephesians chapter 1. Looking at our true identity in Christ he covered the first 14 verses.

As we read these verses we get an incredible picture of what God has done for us.

Vs 3 - Blessed us with every spiritual blessing (not just a few)

Vs 4 - We were chosen in Him, we are here because of Him – not just a fluke or random evolution.

Vs 6 - We have been accepted in Christ. We belong to Him and in Him.

Vs 10/11/12 - God’s long range plan included us!

Vs 11/12 - In Christ we find purpose, we know what we are living for.

We need to know who God is before we can know who we are. What is our perception of God? Know Him – know who you are.

Peter, ‘You are Christ the Son of the Living God’ - When Peter knew who Jesus was he knew who he was. Simon became Peter.

We need to look into the mirror of God’s word to discover our true identity.

(2 Corinthians 5:17) - A new creation
(Galatians 2:20) - I no longer live, but Christ lives in me
(Job 3:10) - Let the weak say I am strong!

Why do we have an identify crisis?

1. We look at who we are and not at who He is
2. When we receive correction from God we become insecure
3. Other peoples opinions
4. We lack confidence

When your identity is in Christ…

1. We don’t need to tear others down to build ourselves up
2. You can live with an inner conviction not an outer toughness
3. Gifted and successful people are not a threat
4. You take a MESS and turn it into a MESSAGE!

What a great finish to an enjoyable series!

Look to You

The latest Hillsong United CD 'Look to You' has just been shipped to me from here! Hope it's not too long before it arrives. The tracks I've heard so far sound great.

Happy Birthday Amy!

7 years old today. At last she will now be able to play 'Grease' and 'Girls Aloud' in her bedroom!

Relativism vs Absolutism

The new Pope has raised this issue just before his election. Read more.

‘Having a clear faith based on the creed of the Church is often labelled today as fundamentalism. Relativism, which is letting oneself be tossed and swept along by every wind of teaching, looks like the only attitude acceptable to today's standards... We are moving toward a dictatorship of relativism which does not recognise anything as definitive and has as its highest value one's own ego and one's own desires’. Pope Benedict XVI

Roadmap for Peace

Notes taken from church last night, Paul’s continuing series from Ephesians 1:1-3

God wants us to be at peace...

With God
With each other
With ourselves

Without peace we will find it impossible to think right.

Philippian 4:6-7 – (6) Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. (7) If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Watch out for the enemies of peace...

Fear - that which is crippling and encroaching

Fear = a state of mind (a feeling that God is absent)
Peace = a state of faith (God is with me, if God is for us who can be against us? Jesus is the Anchor of our soul)

Fear comes from what you feel
Peace comes from what you believe

Troublemakers (as opposed to peacemakers)
A person who sows discord amongst those who believe. They rob us of our peace/rest. Look out for them!

Weariness and Burdens - Humanity has limits. We need to come to Jesus.

Matthew 11:28-30 - (28) Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. (29) Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. (30) For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light."

And the Road to Peace...

With regards to Jesus Christ we need to be:

Connected to His Person
Life without Him = No life

Connected to His Purpose
Taking His yolk upon our lives. 'Follow me'.

Connected to His People
No talk of independence for the Christian in the New Testament

Happy Birthday McDonalds?

McDonald's is 50 years old this week.

Well, sort of. Dick and Mac McDonald opened their first drive-through, in San Bernardino, California, in 1948.

The birthday being marked today was the result of a meeting the brothers had with a milkshake-mixer salesman called Ray Kroc, six years later.

Mr Kroc was the creator of McDonald's unique way of doing business. "What Henry Ford did for cars, McDonald's did for burgers," says John Williamson of branding agency Wolff Olins.

This demanded intense attention to detail. In 1961, for example, Mr Kroc opened Hamburger University, granting bachelor degrees in hamburgerology.

It's now in 121 countries, more than half of which were added during the 1990s.

FACT - no two countries with a McDonald's presence have gone to war.

The Procrastinator's Creed

1. I believe that if anything is worth doing, it would have been done already.

2. I shall never move quickly, except to avoid more work or find excuses.

3. I will never rush into a job without a lifetime of consideration.

4. I shall meet all of my deadlines directly in proportion to the amount of bodily injury I could expect to receive from missing them.

5. I firmly believe that tomorrow holds the possibility for new technologies, astounding discoveries, and a reprieve from my obligations.

6. I truly believe that all deadlines are unreasonable regardless of the amount of time given.

7. I shall never forget that the probability of a miracle though infinitesimally small, is not exactly zero.

8. If at first I don't succeed, there is always next year.

9. I shall always decide not to decide, unless of course I decide to change my mind.

10. I shall always begin, start, initiate, take the first step, and/or write the first word, when I get around to it.

11. I obey the law of inverse excuses which demands that the greater the task to be done, the more insignificant the work that must be done prior to beginning the greater task.

12. I know that the work cycle is not plan/start/finish, but is wait/plan/plan.

13. I will never put off until tomorrow, what I can forget about forever.

Will and Grace

Some notes from Paul Benger’s great message in church on Sunday night.

Ephesians 1:1-3: (1)This letter is from Paul, chosen by God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus. It is written to God's holy people in Ephesus, who are faithful followers of Christ Jesus. (2) May grace and peace be yours, sent to you from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.
(3) How we praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we belong to Christ.

When you read the first 3 verses you have to conclude the Christian life is meant to be UPBEAT!

God is at work in us, even when we don’t always realise it.

The Will of God

Not to be mystified. Not all nicely packaged as we would sometimes like it to be. 95% of it is found in our Bibles!

We may seem like ‘unlikely candidates’ when it comes to what God is calling us to be/do. (A la Saul....Paul)

The truth is God does choose us....the first name on the team-sheet!

The Grace of God

The Apostle Paul speaks often about grace. He wants us to get our thinking right! God’s favour is on YOU.

Grace = getting what we don’t deserve
Mercy = not getting what we do deserve

G Gift (Not earned/merited – God given gift, freely given)
R Receive (Do we have a problem receiving – WORKS driven?)
A Appreciate (Learn to be thankful & appreciate the grace of God)
C Carry (Carriers of God's grace – gracious people)
E Enjoy (not a LABOUR – enjoy God’s grace – NOT RELIGION)

Pick me! Pick me!

Remember the scene from Shrek where Donkey is jumping up and down shouting....pick me, pick me!

Here’s a great poem written by a schoolboy…

When we pick teams in the playground
Whatever the game might be
There’s always somebody left till last
And it’s usually me.

I stand there looking hopeful
And tapping myself on the chest
But the captains pick the others first
Starting of course with the best.

Maybe if teams were sometimes picked
Starting with the worst
Once in his life a boy like me
Could end up being first

The reality is that many of us have never left the playground, we still secretly believe that God will only love us when we do well.

The mind-blowing concept of grace – God’s unmerited favour towards us – is hard for us to grasp in a society so used to earning love and acceptance.

Because of God’s amazing grace we’re in the team! First name on the team-sheet........!

The Enemy of Joy

Something that really spoke to me whilst away this week at the conference was the teaching from Jack Groblewski one of the speakers there.

Jack spoke on 'Joy', maintaining it while in leadership. In particular he addressed the biggest enemy of joy - cynicism.

This is a killer and one we should all guard against. It can effect anyone of us especially in Britain - possibly the cynical capital of the world!

How do we maintain a healthy scepticism (recognising the truly 'bonkers') without crossing the line?

Remember, Jesus often hit hard the religious cynicism of the Pharisees.

'A cynic - someone who sees the price of everything but fails to see the value in anything' (Oscar Wilde)

'A cynic is a person who is habitually suspicious of the motives and the sincerity of others including God' (Jack Groblewski)

'A cynic sees things and always says - why? A leader dreams things that never were and says - why not?' (George Bernard Shaw)

The joy of the Lord is our strength!

Championing the Local Church

Just got back from a great church Leaders Conference at Swanwick in Derbyshire. It was hosted by the Ground Level Network of which we are a part.

Some of the things that stood out for me…

• Unity
  
• Fun and laughter (practical joking a-plenty!)
  
• Great teaching
  
• Friendship
  

What was really encouraging was the theme of what church is all about in the 21st century. I felt the local church was truly championed at a time in our nation and in our post-modern world where the church is often misrepresented, misinterpreted or misunderstood.

Jesus is building his church!

His Workmanship

Ephesians 2:10 - For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Looking forward to speaking in church tomorrow on the above topic. I will be looking at the biblical analogy of the Potter and his craft.

Some thoughts I will be sharing...

• We are shaped and formed by a Master Artist
  
• Where necessary the Potter begins again – GRACE at work
• God is the Potter – we are not!
• Remain ‘clay-like’ at all times! (Pliable/teachable)

Mad Fortnight

Not blogging much....must get some in this weekend.

I'm in the middle of mad (busy) fortnight. Easter holidays, tax year end (payroll manager responsibilities), my boss retiring at work, kids off school (days out like today), church leadership conference next week.

Would I have it any other way.....no way!

'It came to me.....my precioussss'

I’ve found it! Well someone did.....and handed it into the police. Amazing!

I rang them today and asked if anyone had handed in a wedding ring since last Friday night, and would you believe it someone had the following day. They found it near to where I thought I had dropped it. To be honest I wasn’t expecting this kind of good news when I called - but what a great surprise!

I had to go to the police station this afternoon for a ‘fitting’.....and it was mine!!

The Ring Goes South

'The ring betrayed me and was lost forever....'

I lost my wedding ring at the weekend. It just slipped right off my finger. Unfortunately I was out in the town centre at the time and when I went back to look for it I could not see it anywhere. I was gutted!

Jane says she will buy me another one for my birthday....which isn't too far away.

Connect Group

Some thoughts we will be discussing tonight in our Connect Group (from notes taken from my Pastor, Paul Benger's recent series in church)

Going to the Next Level

Colossians 1:11-14 (11) 'We also pray that you will be strengthened with his glorious power so that you will have all the patience and endurance you need. May you be filled with joy, (12) always thanking the Father, who has enabled you to share the inheritance that belongs to God's holy people, who live in the light. (13) For he has rescued us from the one who rules in the kingdom of darkness, and he has brought us into the Kingdom of his dear Son. (14) God has purchased our freedom with his blood and has forgiven all our sins.

‘Most mountain climbers die coming down the mountain not on the way up!’ - Have the right tools for the job, for the climb. 4 tools for the climb...

1. Patience and endurance
2. Joy
3. Gratitude (thanksgiving)

4. Theology - what you believe and why you believe it!

KEY: What you believe. Unless we believe right/think right...not dependant on FEELINGS!

Colossians 1:13-14 - God has rescued us/saved us. The Devil wants to rob us....the thief comes to steal and destroy.

Often our FEELINGS control us – forget that! Know the TRUTH – God as rescued us! CHANGE YOUR THINKING.

Our feelings might not change – but we don’t live by our feelings. We are FREE. Live by your beliefs not your feelings!

Ephesians 5:17 – Don't act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do.

Philippians 2:5 – Let this mind be in YOU (Christ’s attitude)

Questions for discussion:

What do we feel about Monday mornings? What are we like? (positive/negative)
Are we glass half-full or glass half-empty people?
How can we change our thinking? (if it needs to change)
What is the difference between belief (theology) and feelings?
What kind of things characterise those who live by FEELINGS and those who live their BELIEFS?

Hire Sunny! Fire Gloomy!

This just popped into my in-box from a friend. 'A daily thought from Tom Peters'

Hire/Promote those with....Sunny Dispositions
Fire those with perpetually....Gloomy Dispositions

(Hint: The farther Up the Organization you go, the more important this gets)

(Rule: Leaders are not permitted to have "bad days" … especially on Bad Days!)

(Rule: One Sad Dog can Infect a group of 100)

(Rule: One Energetic, Optimistic, Sunny Soul can motivate an Army to Move a Mountain)

And finally....

The very last page on the Internet.

Endless Love

This was played last night in church.....very touching!

The Hobbit....four years away?

Read....hopefully this will become a reality although there are a number of hurdles to get over yet.

Go to the Ant...

Intriguing article from the BBC.

Here’s an excerpt...

When our present technology-driven society considers the ant, the aim is not to find moral guidance or to admire a perfect political system, but to gather clues that will help us to solve technical problems.

In the Intelligent Autonomous Systems Laboratory at the University of the West of England, Dr Chris Melhuish presides over a fleet of "U-bots".

A U-bot is a foot-high robot which glides around an arena on castors, carrying a U-shaped scoop in front of it. It is a very stupid robot, because it carries only three instructions:

1. If nothing is happening, keep moving.
2. If you hit a large obstacle, take a turn and keep moving.
3. If you've got a little something in your scoop, and you hit another little something, drop what you've got, take a turn and keep moving.

Following only those instructions, Dr Melhuish's robots, given enough time, can gather together a randomly distributed collection of frisbees and assemble them in a pile in the centre of the arena.

Questionable Analogies

Jane was toast, and not the light buttery kind, nay, she was the kind that's been charred and blackened in the bottom of the toaster and has to be thrown a away because no matter how much of the burnt part you scrape off with a knife, there's always more blackened toast beneath, the kind that not even starving birds in winter will eat, that kind of toast.

Her artistic sense was exquisitely refined, like someone who can tell butter from I Can't Believe It's Not Butter.

As Fiona slowly drew the heavy velvet curtain aside, her eyes smouldered black, deep, and dark as inside the lungs of a coal miner, although it would be black in anyone's lungs if you could get in there because there wouldn't be any light, even in the pink ones of people who don't smoke.

Her hair glistened in the rain like nose hair after a sneeze.

Her eyes were like two brown circles with big black dots in the centre.

Her vocabulary was as bad as, like, whatever.

He was as tall as a six-foot-three-inch tree.

John and Mary had never met. They were like two hummingbirds who had also never met.

The young fighter had a hungry look, the kind you get from not eating for a while.

The thunder was ominous-sounding, much like the sound of a thin sheet of metal being shaken backstage during the storm scene in a play.

The Da Vinci Code

I'm about to start reading this ‘controversial’ novel. It has caused quite a stir in Christian circles...I will have to see what all the fuss is about. Here’s an interesting article at Christianity Today.

Apparently it is going to be made into a movie directed by Ron Howard and possibly starring Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon although the enigmatic Russell Crowe was considered for the role. News about the movie here.

It's Freezing!

The snow is falling here in the UK. Icy cold mornings...having to clear the car windscreen of snow and ice. After looking at this photo I won’t ever complain again!

Wisdom and Purpose

Paul Benger has been doing a great series in Church about ‘Going to the Next Level’. Sunday night he touched on the need for wisdom and purpose in progressing to the next level. That revelation/vision is not enough.

‘New levels require new levels of wisdom’

‘You can’t put new wine into old wineskins’ - Jesus.

Colossians 1:9-10 – (9) So we have continued praying for you ever since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you a complete understanding of what he wants to do in your lives, and we ask him to make you wise with spiritual wisdom. (10) Then the way you live will always honour and please the Lord, and you will continually do good, kind things for others. All the while, you will learn to know God better and better.

Free Mojtaba and Arash Day

This is for the two imprisoned Iranian Bloggers.

Joke

It was getting crowded in heaven, so, for one day it was decided only to accept people who had really had a bad day on the day they died. Peter was standing at the pearly gates and said to the first man, "Tell me about the day you died."

The man said, "Oh, it was awful. I was sure my wife was having an affair, so I came home early to catch her with him. I searched all over the apartment but couldn't find him anywhere. So I went out onto the balcony, we live on the 25th floor, and found this man hanging over the edge by his fingertips. I went inside, got a hammer, and started hitting his hands. He fell, but landed in some bushes. So, I got the refrigerator and pushed it over the balcony and it crushed him. The strain of the act gave me a heart attack, and I died."

Peter couldn't deny that this was a pretty bad day, and since it was a crime of passion, he let the man in.

He then asked the next man in line about the day he died. "Well, sir, it was awful," said the second man. "I was doing aerobics on the balcony of my 26th floor apartment when I twisted my ankle and slipped over the edge. I managed to grab the balcony of the apartment below, but some maniac came out and started pounding on my fingers with a hammer. Luckily I landed in some bushes. But, then the guy dropped a refrigerator on me!"

Peter chuckled, let him into heaven and decided he could really start to enjoy this job.

"Tell me about the day you died?", he said to the third man in line.

"OK, picture this, I'm naked hiding inside a refrigerator..."

Great Day

I've just had the privilege of spending the day at Rotherham New Life Christian Centre for a Leadership Conference with Pastor John Andrews, Pastor Grayson Jones and my good friend and Pastor, Paul Benger. What a fantastic day, probably the best leadership conference I've ever been to, and I'm not exaggerating!

Based on the book 'Winning' by Clive Woodward, covering the highs and lows of attaining the WIN as opposed to just having the attitude of 'it's the taking part that counts' - the day covered the following sessions:

A Winning Culture - Grayson Jones
A Winning Team - Paul Benger
A Winning Leader - John Andrews

Hopefully they will consider taking this conference further a field. It will change mindsets and not just in churches but in the business/secular world as well.

Great day guys....thank you!

Well Done Ellen !

She's done it! World record holder for sailing solo around the world...in 71 days, 14 hours, 18 mins, 33 secs.

Jane and I have been following Ellen MacArthur’s progress ever since she set out back in November. What an amazing achievement and from a local girl as well - she’s from just down the road in Whatstandwell, Derbyshire.

Intelligent Design

I caught the BBC Breakfast news this morning. They were covering the story of the High School in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania where for the first time the theory of Intelligent Design was being taught alongside Darwin’s theory of Evolution.

Atheists are up in arms as ID points towards a Creator rather than so called factual evidence that supports the science of evolution. They say that ID is all about faith and not science.

ID looks at, for example, the complexities and intricacies of the human body and says an ‘intelligent designer’ is behind it all. Of course they're right (just my biased opinion).

Last Night

It was a great privilege to have Pastor Alan Graham from CEF, Zimbabwe with us in church last night. We had a great time hearing him preach on ‘Embracing God given opportunities'.

One thing that really stood out for me was not just the great message of faith and of trusting in God but the fact that Alan was living proof of what it means to actually laying hold of these God given opportunities and not letting go! Just listening to him share about all that God was doing and had been doing for many years was inspirational stuff.

God bless them!

Lessons from LOTR

I’m doing a series of discussions at our Youth Group over several weeks based on themes from the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

So far….

Character – Galadriel talks to Frodo concerning the bearing of the ring to Mordor. He shares his fears with her. Her response, ‘Even the smallest person can change the course of the future’. It's easy to not attempt anything "great" in life because of our own fear or insecurity. Many might feel the answer to this dilemma is "boldness". The answer is actually character not boldness.

One of the things that matters most to God about us is our character. And God is looking for people of "character" to accomplish great things for him. Not necessarily great people, good looking people, or people in top physical shape – but people of character.

And tonight…

Living Hope - Gandalf discusses with Pippin at Minis Tirith that this is not the end when death seemed imminent. He gave him hope at a very low point. His hope was life, even after death.

Living hope is also about living for today even amongst the worries/troubles that life throws at us. What can we do to overcome them - to be at peace? Paul writes,

Philippians 4:4-9 – [4] Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! [5] Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. [6] Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. [7] And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. [8] Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. [9] Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Bloggers Beware

As a Blogger I read with interest this particular news item. It was actually pointed out to me by my boss, who does, I believe, visit the blog from time to time.

This particular Blogger decided to write derogatory remarks concerning his employer and more specifically his boss. Not a wise move as you will see.

By the way if you were wondering...I have a great boss!

A Fishy Tale

I like this!

24

24 Season 4 kicks off for us in the UK this Sunday night. The ‘24 Crew’ will be gathering at our house - curry at hand! Can’t wait. Wonder what Jack’s daughter will get up to this time?!

More on Cricket

Following on from my last post, I will take you even deeper into the minds of a couple of ‘saddos’ playing this wonderful game.

I hinted at the kind of terminology that had been created over the years of playing, so here is a more in-depth list of phrases that have become as endearing to us as the actual game-play itself!

As mentioned previously, a ‘Royston’ Hartley, Hartley’s Jam – jammy (lucky) etc.

With regards to run-outs…

A Dale Humphries (DH) - a Direct Hit. The phrase often associated with this concept is "Dale would of done it".

Written Education - Wrong End (thrown in error)

Cilla Black (Surprise, Surprise) - With regards to my field settings or bowling changes which is suggested have a lack of originality and mirror the tactics that my opponent has developed over a period of time. Or so he insists!

Spinsten 3 - My usual number of wickets taken when I use both my spinners in the first 8 overs.

Too legit to quit (Letigasse) – The ability to miss the ‘flighted’ ball completely and still be able to recover ground and prevent the ball from hitting your stumps.

Prerequisite – Usually 120 from the 20 overs bowled, which ‘usually’ is enough to win the game. Alternatively it relates to a score of 60 (previously 50) in the 10 over format of the game.

The Lamb – (i.e. sacrificial) a batsman is playing poorly and so when he loses his wicket 'the Lamb' gets a mention.

The Nemosis – in reference to the ‘nemesis ball’ that gets the batsmen out on a fairly regular basis.

It’s amazing at how much sledging goes off in these games, and surprise, surprise (or should that be Cilla Black) – it’s mainly coming from the Australian team!

Cricket Marathon

Me and a colleague at work have been playing the EA version of ‘Cricket 97 Ashes Tour’ on my PC (during our lunch break of course) since about September 2000. That’s over 4 years now! As you can imagine it is played in a very competitive spirit. He plays for the Australians and I play for the English team - 20 overs each.

I thought it was time I posted something about it, as I know he visits this blog from time to time, and I wanted to put the record straight on a few things.

1. I do not have a bigger share of the 'luck' element of the game. (We have actually developed nicknames for certain elements of the game. i.e. He often calls me Royston. This is in reference to a former employee of the company who’s surname was Hartley...Hartley’s jam...jammy...lucky etc - you know what I mean!)

2. Over the four years I have won most games, however to be fair to him, in recent years he has the edge. This therefore blows his accusation of me being unfairly lucky out of the water.

3. I am the current Series (best of 10 matches) Champion.

If you think all of this is a little sad...you’re probably right, but we’ve had a lot of friendly banter and fun over the years.

And as in the words of President George W Bush…here’s to the next ‘4 more years’.

Confidence

"Peter's early attempts to walk on water with Jesus displayed an inadequate amount of faith"

‘Don’t let your circumstances destroy your confidence’

When Peter was walking on water and surrounded by the storm, he took his eyes off Jesus, lost confidence and began to sink. Keep your focus on Jesus.

We will all face the storms....we musn't let that stop us getting out of the boat and going to where Jesus is calling us to go.

And when you're out there amongst the wind and the waves, maybe a third of the way, maybe half-way, or even almost at the point where Jesus is – still keep your eyes on Him. Trusting, confident in Him who is able!

It's a 'Star Wars' Year

Me and the lads have been watching the Star Wars DVD box set which they got for Christmas. There is a great ‘making of’ documentary on the fourth disk which goes into some great depth for us anoraks!! I’m beginning to look forward to Episode III now which I believe is out in May of this year. Hopefully it will have improved on the previous two and the storyline will finally connect us with the old classics.

And for all you sad people…..Jedi name generator !!

Jedi Knight - 'Lloga Hoche of the planet Anusol'

Not forgetting the Elves

And of course...the Elvish name generator - me, Tathar Felagund. Sorry.

Hobbit Name Generator

Ok it's a bit sad I know, but here's a fun name generator for Tolkien fans. What's your name? My name is Posco Bunce of Brockenborings.