I think Michael Jackson started here

I've been feeling mightily hacked off today!!

I'm not annoyed by anyone in particular, or by any single situation I'm just hacked off.

We were watching a NOOMA at cell tonight and in it Rob Bell says 'you know that feeling when you think you're just seconds away from losing it?' I was thinking YES I DO - IT'S NOW!!!!

Anyway I think it's a combination of things and I'm not sure how helpful it would be to blog any of them in great detail but we'll see what happens;

1. I'm sick of apathy - yet I'm horribly apathetic about everything.

I want some passion for my day to day living and for my church and community. I'm not sure what this means or where it leads but it's where God is leading and that's exciting.

2. I'm sick of seeing people walked over and hurt yet I'm not defending the weak.

When Jesus came to earth he didn't find the most powerful "stakeholders" he could find and get onside with them. He went for the downtrodden and the weak and those others wouldn't stand by. It might not make for a great leadership strategy in an office somewhere but anything else has no place in the church.

3. I'm sick of seeing people caught up in ticking boxes and filling out forms yet I'm caught up in asking people to do it for my ministry.

I don't want my life to be ruled by getting all the 'right things' done in double quick time. It's okay to wait for things - I'm not talking laziness here I'm just saying God's not an idiot and he doesn't need our alarm clocks going off to let Him know what's happening. I want everything yesterday and a lot of people I know want it last week.

4. I'm sick of watching pepole running away from conflict and refusing to sort things out in Godly ways (and Godly doesn't mean hope it will all go away if you do nothing for long enough!!!!) yet I have unresolved issues in my own life that need to be dealt with in Godly ways.

Being a Christian means being accountable to God and each other and it means dealing with things properly. No more pent up anger or hurt, no more getting away with saying and doing things that hurt others.

5. I'm sick of seeing people twisting and manipulating things and situations and hoping it's what God's wants yet I've been guilty of it before.

I used to think that the song 'Send revival start with me' meant that anyone, even I, could start a revival. I don't think it does anymore.

I think it's a call to look inwardly, examine our own hearts and make the changes that allow revival to happen in our own lives instead of seeking to change the world without time for cross examination.

Then what happens next is...........................................

Joy, Joy, Joy

We've had a really interesting weekend.

Here's the best bits;

Friday night was spent with our good friends Jon & Laura. We went to their house and had chinese food, played boggle and watched a little bit of jonathon ross (in the middle of TV turn off week - I'm surprised my brain hasn't rotted out of my skull yet........oh yeah and I'm not clinically obese or happy slapping passers by - it's a miracle!!)

Saturday morning Christina and I went to get our eyes tested. I have a slight stigmatism (which I'm assured doesn't mean I'm going to developed nail shaped holes in my hands) in my left eye which wasn't serious enought to warrant glasses. I'm going to be honest, I was a little disappointed!! I would like glasses but can't bring myself to be one of those people who buy frames with clear lenses. Anyway my hunt continues for glasses that might suit me ust in case my eyesight deteriorates or I give in and become one of those people;



Anyway in the afternoon we went to the park with some of our cell group and their families and it was a really nice afternoon. In the evening we went to Matt L's for a BBQ featuring some beautiful Roland burgers (as in he made them, they were not made from him!!) and then took part in something awesome but we have all been sworn to secrecy and so I can't blog any further before we rounded the day off with some late night Risk (the board game type not the midnight bungee jumping type).

Yesterday we went to church in the morning...............

Then the afternoon was spent with some of Christina's work friends (including my new longboard mentor Moss who inspired me to get mine out of the shed). We got home for some tea and a DVD before heading to bed and saying goodbye to the weekend.

The next few weeks are filled with lots of choices and lots of important decisions to be made.

I'm going to blog later today, I wanted this one to remid me of a great weekend.

A seven step road trip - a complete event

Step 1 - Home to Office

I left the house early this morning to get to DHQ and meet with Matt L for our road trip to begin. Matt arrived with a ford transit tipper like this one;

Except ours was a lot older, a lot rustier and had 237,000 miles on the clock!!

Oh yes you read it right - 237,000!!!!!!!!!!

Step 2 - Office to Nottingham

We were on a trip to get some carpet for our divisonal Main Event later this year and some lovely people at St Lukes in Nottingham had offered to give us this carpet having used it at an event they were running at the weekend - thanks to Chris the builder for meeting us and helping us load up the carpet. This is a picture of the inside of their church

Step 3 - Nottingham - DHQ (via Services)

We stopped off at the services for some KFC where Matt got given free stuff and extra chips - he claims this is because of his good looks and charm I say it'll all end when he gets a wedding ring on (and that's the voice of experience......and jealousy - I paid full price and got hardly any chips!) this is us enjoying lunch

Then on the way home we went past the longest traffic jam in history - seriously A14 was jammed!! Seriously we're talking 10 miles at least not fun for those people.

Step 4 - DHQ - Hadleigh Farm

Having had a few moments to pick up some shrink wrap for the carpet and to discover just how old Liz Hall really is (Space Odyssey anyone!?!?!?!) we got back in the van and headed to Hadleigh Farm where Simon the very helpful farm manager helped us shrink wrap the massive rolls of carpet until they looked like this;

We also discovered that the farm would be a great place to hold youth councils (February 2008 - you heard it here first!!!!)

Step 5 - Hadleigh Farm - Maldon

We dropped the van back and I took some pics of big tyres;


Step 6 - Maldon - DHQ

We got back into a car and felt very low (not in a depressed way.....literally lower than before) and headed back to DHQ

Step 7 - DHQ - Home

I got home to be met by my beautiful wife who'd been off work with a bug today. She's feeling a little bit better before anyone worries and hopefully she'll be back at work tomorrow but isn't 100% yet so get well soon Chrissy (she's sitting next to me so she's already read this and she went 'aw')

Anyway all that to get some carpet!!

I like days like today and Matt and I are pretty sure most of our best work gets dreamt up in vans on road trips so here's to many more like today!!

A week to forget!!

So this week is TV Turnoff Week a chance for everyone to read more, get out more, chat to friends and family more and most of all to escape the terrible evil that is TV. The cause of all violence, childhood obesity and social ills on the planet!!

There you have it, 2 choices - Turn off and live OR leave on and DIE!!!! That's the problem with all these campaigns they focus on the extremes and in doing so miss the point. Of course we could all do with less TV and more time with loved ones but the fact is TV isn't all bad as one Guardian commentator wrote yesterday and to say it is because of a few rubbish programmes "would be like claiming all films are rubbish because you don't like Rocky V".

Anyway must dash there's football on ITV and another chance to catch "101 more things removed from the human body" on Sky 3...............maybe they have a slight point!!!!

The weekend

This past weekend was spent with a bunch of awesome young people at our first ever Young Leaders Development Weekend. The 2 days were really great and the team of friends around me was amazing.

And so to Christina, Chell, Glyn & Matt L thanks for being an inspiration to the young people you led.

And to the young people who came thanks for being an inspiration to me and the team.

It felt great to be doing something really worthwhile with a quality bunch of young people.

In the nicest possible way..........

Today's been a really great day, I had a really helpful meeting with someone who I think is going to be a real help and support in the coming weeks and months.

However it's not often the case that I leave a meeting upbeat about the fact that it was concluded that I have a great face for radio!!

Welcome new blogger

Today I welcome a new blogger to the world of my list on the right - Ladies and gentlemen......it's Chell!!

Now normally I wait to see how someone gets on with blogging before adding them to my list but in this case I'm sure we won't be disappointed.

I also wanted to add a picture of chell to this blog to let people see who she is (the one on her blog is just feet so you ouldn't recognise her if you saw her in the street). I was disappointed to find that amongst my holidy snaps from last year there didn't seem to be any of me and chell, lots of me and christina (obviously), lots of matt and chell (obviously), lots of all 4 of us (very nice), lots of me and matt (guylove-tastic) and even some of matt and christina, but I couldn't find one of me and chell. I couldn't quite understand why really, we get on well, we have lots of laughs and even share a dance and can-can that others can't live up to......so why no pics??

Anyway it turns out after much searching there were 2 to choose from;

1. Me and chell on the balcony eating breakfast - me looking jetlagged and grumpy with chell looking smiley - not the right choice

2. This one;

We have no idea what the sign was warning of but we found it rather odd looking and so decided to copy it.

All that to say - welcome to the world of blog Chell

Dull......perhaps

This week is shaping up to be really awesome;

On Monday I went into London to meet up for lunch with Ben J, it was a really good chance to catch up and as always I came away challenged and refreshed. Following this I called my brother in law Mike to see if he was free for a coffee and he had 10minutes so we went and grabbed a chat and drink before I came home. I also read' Sex God' by Rob Bell (quite surprised Simon hasn't blogged the tale of me trying to find this book in NI). It's a really good read but I think I'd overhyped it in my own mind leaving me a little wanting.

Anyway on Monday night we were supposed to have cell group but a mixture of sickness, holidays and family stuff meant that only 2 people turned up and so we found out who else was due to be coming and invited them round to ours to play disney monopoly instead, like regular monopoly except with more pixie dust!! Ben B won.....by quite a way........Glyn and I came last.......very last.

Last night myself and Matt L were providing AV support for Glyn's company (SYM Chelmsford) as they held a prayer evening in the Cathedral we all then grabbed some KFC and headed back to ours to watch some fear factor (mixed with flavor of love 2 - serious rubbish!!) followed by some Tim Vine live comedy.

This morning we got locked IN our house. Yes that's right locked IN!!!! The lock seemed to seize up meaning we had to climb over our back gate to get out. Eventually the situation was fixed and we can now enter and leave the house safely and securely!!

Anyway the rest of the week is going to be spent planing a young leaders course for this weekend which is going to be really exciting.

P.S. Later in the week I've got some really exciting stuff happening and pray God will really use the experiences to speak and guide me.

The weight of public pressure got to me

So whilst at Spring Harvest we were very priveleged to be on team with 2 very talented artists Lloyd and Becky.

Throughout the week they created loads of amazing stuff and it was really great to see the process and the finished articles.

This was produced on night 2 and it now sits in our dining room waiting for a frame;



This was created later in the week;



This was the process;

CONGRATU-MA-LATIONS

This my brother Simon and his girlfriend Beth (they're both bloggers too - see column on right)

Today they are celebrating becuase they have been together for 2 years. Sometimes we play down these things because, people aren't married, or they're only young or lots of other reasons so I guess it's easy to fall into the trap of belittling this type of anniversary. But I think it's great that for the last 2 years Si and Beth have gone through everyting together, happiness, sadness, frustration, joy, starting university, leaving home and lots more. And so I hope you guys have a great day together - enjoy the celebration.

(I would like to point out that this blog is technically a 'gift' as it is my 'gift' to you)

(I would also like to point out that Beth can't play FIFA)

Here enedeth the lesson

Reflections

Having returned from Spring Harvest (do you see what I did below??) I have had an eventful week to write about - some highlights;

Meeting RT Kendall - Lloyd and I were very excited by this, in fact at one stage in the room it was Chick Yuill, RT Kendall, Phil Wall and Lloyd looking like Rob Bell so it was a proper Christian speaker-fest!! (One quick note to add, RT was doing a Bible study on day 5 and while trying to read a passage about taking your tithes to the 'storehouse', however he obviously got confused and went to say 'warehouse'. The resulting mixture of the 2 words was a whole new Biblical perspective (due to my original badly written version of this sentence Lloyd had added a comment for all those who can't quite figure out what the word was).

Getting to know new people - Too many to mention them all but a quick mention to Gary B for being a great team leader, Esther and Ben for being great. And finally Lloyd and Becky for being great company and loads of fun to hang out with.......we played mini golf.........someone won.........it might have been me............by quite a few strokes.........but I don't want to go on about it. I thank God for new friends.

Masquerade - 2 words........we sucked!!

Training day - yesterday we held our first ever youth & children's training day at work and 45 people turned up. It was a really good day and I'm really blessed to have a great children's officer to work alongside - thanks Liz.

Supported - The last few days have really highlighted just how good my support structure is. I have an awesome wife, an incredibly loving and wise family, great friends that I trust and love spending time with and 3 men whose support and encouragement I couldn't do without so to christina, mum, dad, si, adam, graham, kirsten, Mike, glyn, matt l, jon, paul, chell, laura, ruth, ben, rach, dave, mick, lyn, mike, wendy, russ, grinner and phil.............and countless more alongside - Thank You!! I hope you're ready for dozens more phonecalls, e-mails and coffees over the next few weeks!?!?!

Mr Gates - A long story that hopefully one day I'll be confident enough to blog but to cut it short I ended up on Wednesday afternoon interviewing Gareth Gates on Radio 1. There was a lot of editing went on and they cut my favourite moment but it was a great experience.

And finally............A new blog to read - My youngest brother Adam has joined the list of 'friends who blog', he's a legend and the only 11 year old I know worth reading.

There you have it!!

I'm off

there may not be wireless so if not - Have a lovely Easter

They call me JAMIE

So in recent months I've taken up a bit of a cookery hobby. My dishes so far;

Fresh soup from scratch - Carrot and ginger
Swedish meatballs
Roasted rosemary ad garlic potatoes
Tuna steaks with a fresh oregano and lemon marinade
Home made garlic bread
Sweet potato and chilli bake
Roasted winter veg
Fresh beefburgers
Butterfly chicken fillets with fresh red pepper sauce
Chocloate brownies
Eton Mess
Chocloate caramel shortbread

And still to come;

Grilled monkfish with lemon mash and olive salsa
Beef steak stuffed with riquefort and chives served with chive mash
Something with squid
Chicken and prawn fishcakes with fresh sweet chilli sauce

There's only a few problems;

I take ages
I use every dish and utensil in the kitchen
I hate tidying up
I cant' accept help from anyone......except Jamie

So why the list......well if you're a friend of ours and haven't yet had the chance to come and share a meal with us in our new home then we'd like to invite you to........I'll try to make something nice.

Wow 2 in one day.......

.......and before anyone comments it's not just to get higher up Kirsty's list of bloggers which is built upon a flawed calculation system (however it's probably my own fault due to a table, some sore forearms and the bullseye failure tune!!).

Anyway this post was meant to be serious and so I'll begin.

Oh by the way Air Berlin were excellent on my return flight also, a seat number, complimentary drink and snacks and a better airport to fly into for my parents. One Downfall - boarding features no early bit for people who need assistance or with small kids hence I watched a mum and little girl join a very long queue and get very upset (the little girl then the mum). Overall - Air Berlin still rock.

Anyway to the point;

Having missed my bus from the airport to Chelmsford last night by 0.01 seconds I had to wait an hour in the "waiting room" some things before I continue;

1. I didn't actually miss my bus by any seconds the bus left early

2. The word "room" is perhaps not well enough defined for some people as I found myself in a shack which was freezing cold and had seats which looked so filthy I feared catching cholera from sitting on them.........nay being in the same "room" as them.

3. I could have gone back into the airport terminal and enjoyed the huge range of shops, snacks and warmth but was too lazy to do that and also was scared I'd be tempted to buy and eat 12 krispy kreme donuts (I'm 6 months clean now)

Anyway the one thing this did offer was the fact that under no circumstances was I going to get my mac out in this shack and so instead I continued my reading of this year's study guide for Spring Harvest. The time came and I caught my bus (I wasn't going to be caught again and so got there early which was good as it left 3 minutes early this time!!). I knew I could get the guide finished before getting to Chelmsford and so I was reading quite quickly and then on the last page Jeff Lucas writes this;

"It's been said that some Christians are 'too heavenly minded to be of any earthly use'. The fact is that there has never yet been a believer who has been too preoccupied with the wonderul news of eternity spent with Christ."

I slowed down and read it again.

"It's been said that some Christians are 'too heavenly minded to be of any earthly use'. The fact is that there has never yet been a believer who has been too preoccupied with the wonderul news of eternity spent with Christ."

I've used that phrase about people before. I've heard it said many times. I've been warned not to become like that whatever that is and at times I've stopped myself saying, doing or even blogging something because I didn't want people to say it about me.

I knew as soon as I read it I wanted to post it here - truth too good not share.

P.S. God make me more heavenly minded some I can be of more earthly use - AMEN

P.P.S. I re-read this post before publishing and wondered if it was bit 'heavy'..........long live irony!!

I'm home....well back in England....which is home......in one sense of the word.....but I was "at home" in NI........

Anyway I'm back!!

Thanks to everyone for a great weekend especially mum, dad, Adam, Simon & Beth and all the friends and family I met up with. Sorry to those I missed.

For anyone interested the Brass Band we played for came 5th......out of 5!!

Adam loved his presents from us including some drumsticks, a very cool pencil case, 2 DVDs, the Comic Relief DVD single and a High School Musical Songbook.

Adam is also now the proud owner of a new electronic drumkit (he'spictured below forming the new Safri Duo with Beth!!)

Anyway back home for another few days before heading off to Spring Harvest