Learning to Walk

irelandland

We got back from Irelandland yesterday and I thought I'd give you a wee summary of the 6 days spent with YKW's parents.

Friday - It started badly; YKW picked me up late and we eventually missed the last check in time for our ferry by about 10 minutes.  The choice was then between the 11pm (getting in at 2.15am) or a hotel for the night and the 10am ferry the next day.  We went for the 11pm and eventually arrived at her folks around 3am.

Saturday - The next day the 4 of us went for a road trip taking in some stunning scenery.  I was riding up front with the Dad which meant that whilst YKW slept in the back I needed to be on finest chat form.  A great day nonetheless.

Sunday - We went to a local church with a friend.  Of the (few) C of S churches I've been in most have had the minister playing a very up front role and nobody else doing much.  Here it was very different.  The minister preached and prayed, but there was a different person reading and doing the children's talk and a good mix of traditional and modern sung worship.  A very useful (in that it challenged) sermon topped off a great morning which was followed by a good afternoon of food and chat with new (to me at least) friends.

Monday - A relaxed morning with a bit of work on sermons for a couple of weeks time.  Out for lunch and dinner and lots more chat.

Tuesday - Went running this morning.  Not knowing the area I ran out for a set time and then turned round and ran back.  This meant that I nearly got eaten by the same dog twice!  YKW and I resumed our ongoing chess competition (by the end of the trip we were tied up at 5-5).  She seems to have realised that by making the games last longer she will often win.  I am going to buy a chess clock with some of the money we have very kindly been given for our engagement!

Wednesday - YKW and I went into town for a bit of a date.  Had a nice lunch and some great chat (and some more chess over coffee) before heading home for dinner out with her folks and a friend.  Today was also memorable for YKW revealing one of my tattoos to her mother who was on record as saying that "boys with tattoos are thugs and [as such] are to be avoided."  Thankfully my previously unblemished record carried me through though my status did take a bit of a hit!

Thursday - Headed back to Glasvegas with one extra car seat taken up.  YKW's mum joined us, her dad and my folks are coming today (Friday).  The journey was pretty uneventful and I was even back in time for training.

So a good week.  Quite tiring as there was a lot of meeting new faces and a good amount of wedding chat (mostly consisting of me and YKW assuring her mum that we had remembered all the areas she thought we might not have!)  Roll on this weekend; the parents meet...

the missus

I try to be careful about blogging peoples names, especially when they do not put themselves 'out there' on the web in blog or website form.  As she is frequently referred to on my blog I thought I needed to find a wee code word that I can use when referring to my soon to be wife.  After long and careful consideration I have settled on YKW standing for 'You Know Who'.

So in the future when you read the words YKW you know who I am referring to!

adventuring

I like going on little adventures, especially with you know who.  And today we are taking our first overseas adventure as we travel to Northern Irelandland for a week with her parents.  It is my first trip to NI and I am very excited.  I am also excited because it is a holiday (except with commentaries on Romans - which I am preaching from twice in the next couple of months - and books on preaching - I am doing a preaching module next term).

Apparently there is no internet at the house so blogging will not be possible although I may find somewhere in town.  But if you're lucky you might just get away without hearing from me for the next 7 days! 

Ciao.

you're always safe with...

My brother has won his first election!  He has been elected as President of Cardiff University's Student Union.  It is a full time job for the year after he graduates paying decent money.  I was so pleased when he told me yesterday although that pleasure was certainly tinged with sadness as he described some of the scenes going on as the results were announced, especially concerning those who had run but not been elected.

His campaign slogan was, "You're always safe with a Jonny!"  And the campaign included obtaining thousands of free condoms from manufacturers and giving them out on campus.

Jon oozes character and is a natural leader.  I am sure that he will lead with humour, keeping a smile on the faces of those he works around, but I hope that through this role he will find some of the discipline that he has at times lacked (which he would certainly admit to!)  I am looking forward to seeing him grow through his year as president and, if his campaign slogan is anything to go by, having a good number of laughs along the way.

death

My aunt's husband died yesterday just before 1pm.  It is a sad end to what I had hoped and prayed would be a time during which members of my family might come to know the healing power of Jesus.  I now pray that in their grief they will know his comforting presence.

We got engaged last week and Alan's illness - and it's affect on some of our family - has shown to us even more about what marriage may involve.  We have talked for some time about marriage; about the things in our relationship that we feel stand us in good stead for this commitment as well as areas we need to keep working hard in.  This week we have understood even more the fact that our marriage will possibly end with a day like yesterday.  It is a sobering thought but the fact that we are more sure than ever that it is the right thing to do is also a great encouragement.  We are so excited and also in awe about saying, "till death us do part..."  Today we pray for those close to us for whom death has parted.

how should I pray?

My aunt's husband had been extremely ill in hospital for the last week.  During that week we have been praying that God would do a great work of healing and restore the bits of his body that have totally shut down to full health.

This morning I got a phone call saying that the hospital have called in his family as they believe death is imminent.  I am struggling to find the words to pray.  Do I continue to pray for healing?  If he was going to be would he have been healed by now?  If I pray for strength and comforting for my aunt then am I conceding defeat on the healing front?

My prayers are weak.  I know that Jesus healed people and I know that he told Peter that with faith you can do anything.  But I must admit I feel lacking in faith.  As I pray the words a part of me is struggling to believe that what I ask for can happen.  But I guess that is what being human is all about; it is about being weak, but (as often as possible) recognising that weakness and asking that God will still take and use us to display His strength.

admin

Today I have had to do a bit of admin for various things.  Whilst it is not my favourite thing in the world I always have a strange sense of satisfaction upon completion which makes me beg the question as to why I don't do it more promptly when it lands on my desk!

I have also been doing a bit of reading which I enjoyed; although I also find myself wishing that I could remember every single thing that I read.  For now I am reading without making notes or scribbles - as otherwise I could end up taking hours to read one page - but come the summer term I will need to be more efficient at reading and note taking all at once!

celebrating

I have uploaded some photos from last night.  You can click on the album or here to see them.  Unfortunately the captions that I wanted to come up with them haven't worked, and I am not sure why, so you will just have to come up with them for yourself!

results 2

Results of a different kind today: 

The Hawks won 84-0 yesterday.  It was fun to play in, very muddy, and I enjoyed it and feel that with a bit of training in the next 2 weeks I will be firing for Heriots in the last 16 (more details to follow).

Then it was Scotland France and Wales England.  The games did not go my way!  But I got an extraordinary insight into the Scottish (huge generalisation I realise) psyche.  In the bar at the club during the England game most of the people in there where cheering for Wales.  I couldn't understand that as a Welsh victory would put Scotland bottom.  It is saying something when you would rather come last simply to see England lose.  But perhaps there was just a Christian 'last will be first' vibe going on that I didn't notice!

In the evening we went out for some celebratory drinks.  It was mostly some (very) well oiled rugby players and their (slightly) less tipsy girlfriends.  But there were a few St Silasites and ICC'ers in there.  The highlight of the evening surely had to be Mission Warrior's professional camera man impersonation; with the bar man's permission we have shots on the bar, David Brent style, group pictures - you name it (within reason) and we have it!  Perhaps a couple may even make it onto the blogs...

spelling

This wek I have been puled up on my spellng by Mr Beat de Beat de Beat and as I sat looking at my provious post just couldn't quite figur out what was wong with Hark the Herald Angles Sing. 

I can't quite imagine a group of triangles stood around proclaiming the birth of the Saviour!