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!!
Thursday, March 24, 2005
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
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.
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.
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
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?
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?
Monday, March 21, 2005
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)
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)
Wednesday, March 16, 2005
Monday, March 14, 2005
The Hobbit....four years away?
Read....hopefully this will become a reality although there are a number of hurdles to get over yet.
Thursday, March 10, 2005
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.
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.
Friday, March 04, 2005
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.
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.
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
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.
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.
Thursday, February 24, 2005
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!
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Tuesday, February 22, 2005
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.
‘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.
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
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..."
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..."
Saturday, February 12, 2005
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!
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!
Tuesday, February 08, 2005
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.
Monday, February 07, 2005
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).
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!
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!
Friday, February 04, 2005
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.
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!
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!
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